Bhadohi (UP), Jun 22 (PTI) A case has been filed in the court of the Bhadohi district collector against a firm responsible for collecting toll on National Highway-19 in Uttar Pradesh.
The Delhi-based firm is accused of securing a 15-year lease by paying only Rs 100 in stamp duty, instead of the mandated Rs 62.87 crore, an official said on Sunday.
The firm through its representative entered into a lease agreement on March 18, 2023, to collect toll on a 72-km stretch on NH-19 between Paraygraj and Varanasi for 15 years for a value of Rs 3,144 crore, Pankaj Singh, AIG, Registration, Bhadohi, said.
“According to the Stamp Act, a stamp duty of 2 per cent of the contract value, amounting to Rs 62.87 crore, was required. However, the firm used a stamp worth only Rs 100, causing a loss of crores to the state exchequer," Singh said.
"District Collector Shailesh Kumar had initiated an investigation into the stamp duty matter based on government directives and an order from the chief secretary in October 2024.
"The investigation revealed that the contract, which should have involved crores in stamp duty, was obtained for just Rs 100, causing a massive financial loss to the government," the official said.
Singh added that he filed a suit against the firm in the court of the district collector on June 20. Kumar has scheduled the hearing for the first week of July, he added.