CBI court rejects bail plea of Malhotra, six others in land scam

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) A CBI court has rejected the bail application of Ashok Malhotra, the kingpin in the scam related to allotment of JJ plots, and six other accused in the scam and send them to judicial custody.

The seven accused had filed an interim bail plea in the court even before the CBI chargesheeted them last week.

However, in a hearing on the bail plea yesterday, CBI judge S K Kaushik rejected the bail pleas of these seven persons and send them to judicial custody, a CBI spokesperson said.

The designated CBI court has fixed December 13 as the next date for hearing, the spokesperson added.

The CBI filed a chargesheet against 12 pepole, including seven MCD officials and one under secretary of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha in the Molarband Phase-II land scam cases on November 17 in the court of Special Judge, CBI cases S K Kaushik.

The Investigating Agency charged one former Additional Commissioner, a Director, a Deputy Director, an Assistant Director, an Upper Division Clerk, an Assistant Engineer and a Junior Engineer from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), an Under Secretary of Delhi Legislative Assembly and four private people, including the mastermind under Section 120(B) under Section 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC, besides the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The CBI, in its chargesheet, established that the accused MCD officials, including the then Additional Commissioner (Retd) in criminal conspiracy, with Ashok Malhotra, his associates and the Delhi Vidhan Sabha under secretary, dishonestly allotted 180 resettlement plots in Molarband Phase-II in gross violation of laid down procedures.

The CBI found that even the applications of purported allottees are not available. Each of the accused officials of the MCD received bribe of Rs 10,000 for each per plot from Malhotra. These plots were illegally sold by him and one of his associates for Rs two-three lakh even though these were officially allotted at Rs 7000 per plot.

The accused Under Secretary of Delhi Vidhan Sabha and others prepared forged documents at the behest of the kingpin.

Investigation also established that the accused MCD officials used to hand over official documents to the kingpin on a regular basis at his residence.

The CBI had registered this case on 16 August this year against six MCD officials and two private persons, including the kingpin, alleging therein that the plots meant for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers were fraudulently allotted in non-existent and fake names through forged documents thus depriving the deserving allottees.

UNI