LUCKNOW: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned six companies involved in the big-ticket Gomti Riverfront project that was commissioned by the former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in the run-up to 2017 state polls. After finding prima facie anomalies in the project, Cief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recommended a CBI investigation six months ago while accusing SP government of financial irregularities in the project.TOI has accessed the list of companies and the detailed note prepared by the ED office in Lucknow last month. The ED probe, while summoning these companies, has said that "irregularities were observed during the course of investigation which range from "excess payment" to awarding contracts to "blacklisted companies" as well as mismatch in contracted amount and released amount.The companies summoned by ED are Gammon India Pvt Ltd , KK Spun Pipe Pvt Ltd, Rishu Construction , Hightech Competent Builders Pvt Ltd and Tarai Construction. "Excess payment was made to them whereas in respect of some companies they did not get even the payment equivalent to the contractual amount," the ED probe says. The reports says that "maximum number of 13 contracts have been awarded to Tarai and this firm was also given excess payment"."Despite being blacklisted in several states, Gammon India was awarded two tenders of involving highest contractual value that is Rs 665 crore.The company also got excess payment against the work executed by them"the ED probe report says. "In respect of K K Spun, the company did not fulfil the basis requirement for filing the tender, that is registration with irrigation department and company was registered with the department after tender was awarded to the said company," it adds. Sources in ED confirmed that ministers and officials during the SP regime may be summoned for recording statements.TOI has also accessed a copy of 110-page report, prepared by the Yogi government, while recommending a CBI probe for increasing the Gomti project's sanctioned amount from Rs 747.4 crore in February 2015 by then SP government to its three-time cost of Rs 1,990.2 crore in June 2016.

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