Demand for handing over of DDA flats to ‘genuine’ allottees

A large number of allottees,who claimed they had applied through ‘legitimate’ documents,staged a demonstration at the DDA headquarter in New Delhi asking authorities not to ‘penalise’ them for the acts of “some persons who indulged in fraudulent activities”.

A delegation of the association also met the DDA authorities who they claimed have assured them that the process of handing over the flats would begin soon after the probe is over.

The DDA has constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the alleged irregularities in the draw of lots that held on December 16 last year. The panel is expected to submit its report by January 24.

Meanwhile,Indian Justice Party chief Udit Raj lashed out at police for the arrest of law graduate Deepak Kumar in connection with the scam,saying it was ‘not fair’ to target a person who helped in revealing the ‘facts’.

“What was the police doing for the past two months. We (Raj and Kumar) informed police about the things to come. We asked the DDA to stop the process. Now,police is targeting a person who helped in unravelling the crime though he was part of it initially,” Raj said in New Delhi.

Raj claimed that on October 31,he approached police informing them about “plans” of some people trying to apply for the DDA flats using forged documents. It was Kumar,who fell out with a cartel of property dealers planning to commit the fraud,tipped Raj about the plans to corner the flats.

Kumar had on November ten filed a complaint in Paschim Vihar police station claiming that one Rakesh Aggarwal and Bhaskar were involved in cheating and playing fraud on people belonging to SC/STs in the allotment of DDA flats,Raj said.

The Urban Development Ministry has stalled the transfer of flats to successful candidates after it came to light that a cartel of property dealers have applied for several flats under reserved category using forging documents.

The allottees have opposed Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Makan’s recent statement declining CBI probe into the matter while saying the whole draw may be scrapped if large-scale irregularities were found.

“Most allottees are genuine. There may be some bogus applicants among over 5,000 allottees. We demand stringent action against them but we demand DDA not to allow indefinite delay in handing over flats to genuine candidates,” Allottees Association coordinator Suresh Kumar said.

“Cancellation of the draw is not a solution to get rid of irregularities. They should catch the culprits and punish them instead of penalising all the applicants for no wrong of their own,” Om Prakash,a successful applicant,said.

The association demanded a fair and in-depth probe into the alleged scam,saying those involved in the matter must be brought to justice.

“I deposited my hard-earned money to apply for a flat. It was only a sheer luck that I got one in the draw. If I could not get home this time,I may not be able to buy a house with my meagre income,” said Ujjwal Pramanik,an allottee.