The quantity ‘7’ written in several methods in two MCD orders, differing signatures of the identical official in each orders — these raised suspicions within the minds of CBI sleuths investigating a case of “fraudulent” allotment of 26 plots to slum (or jhuggi jhopri) dwellers within the Capital in 2007.
These cast signatures, together with numerous different anomalies within the allotment course of, led the central company to conduct a probe in opposition to officers concerned within the course of. After 17 lengthy years for the reason that case was first filed in opposition to these former officers, two of them — former MCD official Atul Vashisht and former Deputy Secretary in Delhi Vidhan Sabha Lal Mani — had been sentenced by a Delhi court docket to 4 years of imprisonment Saturday.
Three others, Surjeet Singh, Mohan Lal, and Vijay Kumar, had been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment however had been granted two months to file an enchantment difficult their sentence.
Particular Decide Gaurav Rao of Rouse Avenue Courtroom, within the conviction order dated December 17, mentioned: “How they cheated is by making fraudulent allotments based mostly on cast and fabricated paperwork… Cast ration playing cards and Delhi Administration ID playing cards had been ready within the title of allottees… not entitled to or eligible for allotment. These allottees… had not utilized for allotment.”
“… the last word goal was to promote these plots within the open market, thereby inflicting wrongful acquire to themselves and wrongful loss to the division/Slum & JJ Division, MCD,” it famous.
All accused individuals had been convicted for the offences of prison conspiracy and for offences dedicated beneath sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act amongst others.
Right here’s how the fraud was dedicated:
In keeping with court docket paperwork, all of it started when the Slum and JJ Division of the MCD determined to allot resettlement plots to erstwhile dwellers of JJ clusters of Yamuna Pushta in Savda-Ghevra village in Delhi.
– To be eligible, beneficiaries should fulfill two situations: their names needs to be within the joint survey checklist of the JJ Clusters, and they need to be a resident of Delhi as of January 31, 1990.
Nevertheless, the court docket famous that not one of the 26 dwellers might’ve been given the plots as 17 of them had already been allotted plots in earlier years. 5 of them, mentioned the court docket, didn’t meet the eligibility standards and 4 didn’t have the required paperwork.
– The following step is verification of paperwork comparable to ration playing cards, ID playing cards issued by the Delhi Administration, demolition slips and so forth. Cast ration and ID playing cards had been ready and used within the title of “fictitious individuals” for the allotment of the plots, the court docket noticed.
– The step after this within the allotment course of is a “draw” — both guide or computerised. The court docket famous that even this draw was carried out in a “fraudulent” method. “… Permission to carry guide draw was sought to additional the conspiracy, give impact to the conspiracy, and for a similar cause, the quorum was diminished (to 2 members as a substitute of 5),” it mentioned.
– After the guide draw, a draw checklist and challans had been ready within the title of allottees and Rs 7,000 every was additionally deposited of their names. Nevertheless, the alleged allottees weren’t even conscious the allotment was being made of their names. “… the allottees of the questioned plots weren’t conscious of this complete train as all the pieces was occurring behind their again,” mentioned the court docket.
– The ultimate nail within the coffin was the restoration of all of the paperwork from the properties of 1 Ashok Jain (now deceased) who was concerned within the conspiracy with the 5 accused individuals.
Earlier than parting with the judgment, the Courtroom additionally pulled up the CBI for the “shoddy” method by which the investigating officers carried out themselves.
“I deem it match that the copy of the current judgment be despatched to the Director, CBI, who shall look into the observations made by this court docket as regards the way by which investigation was carried out by the investigating officers and different officers who investigated the current matter. The lapses within the investigation, the sloppy/shoddy method by which the IOs and different investigating officers carried out themselves is very deplorable,” the Decide famous.
The company had, through the years, examined 52 witnesses.
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