Delhi HC asks DDA why SC, ST of other states included in housing draw

The Delhi High Court directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to inquire from its Chairman Lt Governor Tejender Khanna why applicants of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) from other states were included in the housing draw meant for Delhiites. Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the DDA to file its reply to the crucial question which led to the housing scam recently, else they would be compelled to cancel the draw which is full of anomilities. The court had earlier refused to grant stay on the allotment of flats under the DDAâ€™s recent draw, which allegedly had irregularities that helped the land mafia to procure allotments on fake names. The court sought the housing bodyâ€™s response by February 9 on a petition filed by Prem Chand alleging that the DDA had illegally allowed applicants under the ST category from other states to participate in the draw. According to the petitioner, under the DDA Act, the housing body is not entitled to accept applications filed by people, who are residents of states other than Delhi. The petitionerâ€™s counsel submitted before the court that the forms from outside Delhi, especially from the state of Rajasthan, were accepted with an ulterior motive. Last month, the DDA had held the draw for allotment of 5,000 flats under the housing scheme, but later a complaint was registered, accusing it of committing irregularities during the draw and applications with fake names were accepted for the draw. The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Policeâ€™s Crime Branch started the probe in the scam and arrested some people, including one Laxmi Narayan Meena (54), who is a former SBI employee and a resident of Rajasthanâ€™s Jhunjhunu, for forging documents to procure allotment letters.

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