New Delhi, Jan 15: Investigations into the DDA flat
allotment fraud case have revealed that one of the accused
managed to corner 40 flats in the draw of lots under various
names even as two more persons were arrested in the case.
Making further headway in the investigations, police
arrested a former DDA official M L Gautam (64) and a property
dealer Raja Ram, who facilitated Rs nine lakh for the fraud
besides detaining another person Suresh Kumar Meena.
Investigators claimed they have found that Gautam had
filed over 1,200 applications using details of people
belonging to SC/ST category residing in Rajasthan`s Jhunjhunu.
"Out of the 1,200 applications he filed, 40 of them
emerged winners in the draw of lots conducted on December 16.
We know that Gautam arranged money for applying these flats by
himself," Additional Commissioner of Police (EOW) S B K Singh
told reporters.
Most of the applications Gautam filled are in the name of
people from Uttar Pradesh, especially Bulandshahar, he said.
Another accused Ram, who was arrested from Dwarka,
allegedly facilitated Rs nine lakh to Laxmi Narayan Meena and
Deepak Kumar, who were arrested earlier, for filing
applications, a senior police official said.
From Ram, the official claimed, they had recovered 150
DDA forms besides two cheques worth Rs 2.40 lakh.
Gautam and Ram were placed under arrest after evidence
"cropped up" against them during investigations and on the
basis of statement given by Deepak.
With this, the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police`s
Crime Branch, which is probing a complaint that a cartel of
property dealers and DDA officials conspired to rig the draw
of allotment and corner flats reserved for SC/STs, has
arrested four persons in this case.
It was Deepak who blew the lid of the plans of the cartel
when he informed police and Indian Justice Party chief Udit
Raj about it when he fell out with them.
The duo were produced before separate courts this
afternoon. While Gautam was sent to police custody till
January 23, Ram will be in the investigator`s custody for the
next two days.
Suresh Kumar Meena, a property dealer, is understood to
have been detained by investigators but there was no official
confirmation on it. Deepak has alleged that Suresh was
threatening him after he fell out with the cartel.
The official said Gautam and Kumar were known to each
other as they were the residents of Paschim Vihar and used to
meet during morning walks.
It was Gautam who advised Kumar not to apply in the SC
category as chances of getting the flat in ST category were
more and that the former DDA employee was promised some money,
the official claimed.
"Gautam apparently told Deepak it was wiser to apply in
reserved category rather than in general. He also advised him
to apply specifically in ST category as chances of getting
flat were very high. He also promised to help them as he knew
a lot of people in DDA," the official said.
"We are inquiring into the source of Gautam`s funds for
filing applications. The role of some bank officials have also
come under the scanner," the official said.
Police is also scanning the call records and bank details
of Gautam to establish his role in the fraud.
The EOW personnel visited the DDA headquarters on Tuesday
to verify whether Gautam is a serving official of the agency
but found that he was not on its pay rolls anymore.
Widening the scope of probe into the irregularities in
the allotment of DDA flats, police have also started examining
applications submitted by people from North-Eastern states,
Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
The police said that the probe would also be extended
into the general category.
"We suspect that applications were filed in general
category also after getting details of people from Jharkhand
and Manipur. We have sought the details of applicants under
general category and are trying to verify the information," he
added.
In some cases, applicants did not even know that
applications were submitted in their names. Majority of them
belong to Rajasthan`s Jhunjhunu.
Police have already took possession of CDs containing the
details of over 5.67 applicants from the DDA on Tuesday for
further examination. This move comes close on the heels of
sleuths seizing the hardware of the computer used for
controversial draw of lots for DDA flats.
"Both the hardware and CDs are being examined at the
Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Hyderabad," the
official said.
He said this was part of investigations to ascertain
whether any DDA official is involved in committing the
irregularities.
Meanwhile, the successful applicants of housing scheme
will stage demonstration at the DDA headquarters in Vikas
Sadan tomorrow, demanding early start of the process of
handing over of the flats to genuine applicants and stringent
action against those involved irregularities.
MCD`s relief for voluntary disclosure
With an aim to provide relief to
the prperty tax defaulters, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi
(MCD) today announced a new scheme providing waiver of full
penalty and 75 per cent of the interest amount to settle the
ex-parte cases.
MCD standing committee chairman Vijender Gupta said the
waiver will be applicable to property tax cases prior to
March, 31, 2004 under the old system of property tax.
This will also be applicable to the tax payers who have
not deposited the property tax under the existing Unit Area
Method, which stipulates uniform tax structure for all
properties in a specific area. The method had been put in
place by the civic body in 2004.
Gupta said the scheme will be applicable to voluntary
disclosures only. It will not be available to those taxpayers
whose cases are detected by the department, he added.
Bureau Report
