The Hindu : New Delhi News : Action promised in housing scam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 04, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Action promised in housing scam

Special Correspondent

No land for any of the 135 housing societies: Azad

NEW DELHI: Faced with a strong demand for bringing to book those involved in the alleged Rs.5,000-crore cooperative group housing land scam in Delhi, the Union Government on Wednesday promised "stern and exemplary" action against the guilty.

Volunteering a statement in the Lok Sabha after the matter was raised by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Member of Parliament from South Delhi Vijay Kumar Malhotra during zero hour, Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, said the scam has been averted due to the vigil and caution of the Delhi Development Authority and the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, B. L. Joshi, since no land had been allotted to any of the 135 cooperative group housing societies in the Capital.

The Lt-Governor ordered a CBI probe in respect of five societies in July this year and in respect of the remaining 130 cases, inquiries by departmental officials.

The CBI took up investigations in these cases and conducted raids on August 1 at the residences of some officials and alleged scamsters.

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court, hearing a writ petition pending before it, ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate all the135 cases, Mr. Azad said.

Furnishing background leading to the probe being ordered by the Lt. Governor and the later developments in the High Court, Mr. Azad recalled that DDA had in September 2003 asked the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) to verify and forward names of 80 eligible cooperative societies for consideration of land in view of limited availability of land for allotment.

This was to be done by the RCS by October 31, 2003, in accordance with the seniority of the society and after due verification of membership.

Yet RCS continued to send more and more names. A total of 135 names of societies were forwarded in different instalments as against the specific requirement spelt out by the DDA at 80.

Around the time, allegations were being levelled in relation to the seniority of the cooperative group housing societies recommended by RCS as also the members of the societies being bogus.

In the meantime, a writ petition was filed in the Delhi High Court (titled Yogiraj Krishna vs DDA and others) making allegations with reference to a list of 35 societies sent by RCS on May 30, 2004.

The DDA returned the case of 135 societies to RCS for proper verification and report before allotment of land could be considered.

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