Chief Denies ISKCON Link with Firms in Land Scam

BY: STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Apr 20, 2012 — INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA (DNA) — A week after Lokayukta served notice on him and others in connection with land grab in Ujjain in the name of IT Park, ISKCON regional chief Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj said the charitable trust is not linked to the two firms involved in the scam.

ISKCON (Ujjain) public relations officer Raghav Pandit had confirmed before the notices were served that the trust was associated with Varahmihir Infotech, the company that was allotted land worth `13.5 crore at meager sum of `1.4 crore in Bharatpuri in Ujjain in 2005.

The company had allegedly procured the land in the name of developing an IT park from the Ujjain Development Authority. Five years later, a nationalised bank sanctioned `13.5 crore loan for construction of the park. Of this, `8 crore was released.

A Lokayukta police officer said the land was allotted to Varahmihir Infotech but the loan was sanctioned to Alcock Mcphar Geotech Pvt Ltd, a company which had no stake on the acquired land.

ISKCON office-bearers claimed that though the trust did not have a direct link with the companies, Bhakti Charu is the promoter of both.

"Guruji (Bhakti Charu) is a director in both Varahmihir Infotech and Alcock Mcphar Geotech Pvt Ltd," ISKCON public relation officer Pandit confirmed on Friday. The Lokayukta had also served notices to former CEOs of the Ujjain Development Authority and bank officials after finding in prima facie probe that the fraud was committed.

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