New Delhi, Jan 04: Delhi Police, which is looking into a complaint of "irregularities" in the allotment of flats by Delhi Development Authority (DDA), is investigating whether a chartered account, it questioned yesterday, had earlier procured details of previous area wise allotments through the RTI route.
Police had yesterday questioned the Chandigarh-based chartered accountant, who is believed to have "facilitated bank loans to some fictitious applicants", a senior police official said.
"We are investigating the case and have questioned a chartered accountant in this connection. We are looking into whether DDA officials, property dealers and some bank officials have rigged the December 19 draw of lots for over 5,000 flats," the official said.
The Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch is investigating into a complaint that it received on December 16 that some property dealers had connived with DDA officials and applied for flats under fictitious names to get the flats under SC/ST quota.
The official noted that they were checking whether the CA had procured details of previous allotment of flats, particularly that under SC/ST quota, through RTI application.
"Some DDA staff have told us the CA had sought information about addresses and phone numbers of those who were allotted flats, SC/ST category allotment, area-wise allotment etc," the official said.
Officials in the housing agency on condition of anonymity claimed that this was not a new thing as earlier also property dealers were actively involved in getting flats allotted on fake applications.
The Housing agency officials also claimed that the chartered accountant (CA) under the scanner was also into property dealing.
"The reports of a possible scam are extremely unfortunate and disappointing. We don't know whether these are correct or not, but only a detailed investigation can unfold the truth," a top DDA official said.
A DDA spokesperson said the agency would verify documents of successful allottees before handing over the flats to them.
No allotment of flats till inquiry is completed: Maken
Meanwhile, the Delhi Urban Development Ministry has said that no allotment of DDA flats would be made to the allottees, who emerged successful in the draw of lots recently, till an inquiry in the alleged irregularities is completed.
Reacting to the alleged scam in the DDA housing scheme, Minister of state for Urban Development Ajay Maken said he has asked the DDA to probe into the alleged irregularities in the draw of the lots.
He said the houses would not be allotted to the winners till the inquiry is completed.
Police are also investigating into a complaint regarding irregularities in the recent allotment of over 5,010 flats by the DDA. Over 6 lakh people had applied for the DDA housing scheme flats last year.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, January 04, 2009, 00:00