DDA allottees’ wait not over
March 01, 2009
New Delhi: DDA’s internal probe into the draw of lots scam may have given the agency’s employees a clean chit but it might be a while before those who won allotments get their dream houses as the urban development ministry plans to seek more clarifications to ensure the scheme is totally untainted.
The controversial Housing Scheme-2008, which was tarred by allegations of manipulation of the SC and ST segments, will be scrutinized for I-T and banking discrepancies and possible property dealer nexus.
With ministry sources saying DDA internal probe left many questions unanswered and government not wanting to take any chances on a politically sensitive issue, the suspense will linger for allottees. As was anticipated, DDA’s three-member internal inquiry committee submitted its report on Friday and exonerated agency officials. But high level sources said the committee only scrutinized forms and applications before absolving officials.
Sources said irregularities in the application process would be revealed only if the income tax department was involved for investigation of PAN cards, banks, financiers and property dealers. These aspects are yet to be looked into by the economic offences wing (EOW) of Delhi Police which is probing the case.
The entire process of the draw of lots — where irregularities have been alleged — has not been looked into by the DDA committee and a report on it is being awaited from the Government Examiner of Questioned Document (GEQD), Hyderabad.
The UD ministry, sources said, was likely to take a view that giving a clean chit to the entire exercise on the basis of the internal probe — which looked into ‘‘only one’’ aspect of the alleged irregularities — will not be correct. The ministry is likely to take a final view only after getting reports on the alleged irregularities in the process of filing applications and draw of lots which is being probed by Delhi Police.
Minister of state for urban development Ajay Maken said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday that a decision on issuing allotment letters would be taken only after receiving all the reports. According to sources, the DDA probe committee found no irregularities in the draw of lots. The committee also said that no DDA official was involved in the scam and the draw was conducted according to the terms and conditions. An official said the report suggested that applications with false information were at the core of the problem.
The internal inquiry committee was set up after directives from the UD ministry when the scam surfaced.
Under the housing scheme, DDA offered 5,238 flats through a draw of lots and received 5.67 lakh applications.
Source: The Times of India
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