Protect the inerest of genuine buyers of flats in Dwarka: HC

New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) In a major relief to the members of the 117 group housing socities in Dwarka sub-city, which had constructed the buildings on the land allotted by the DDA, the Delhi High Court today asked the authorities to protect the interest of the genuine buyers, who were not given the possession of the flats even after paying money.

While hearing a PIL- Yogiraj Krishan vs RCS, a division bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and G S Sistani formed a committee comprising CBI Joint Director, Registrar Cooperative Societies(RCS) and DDA Commissioner (Cooperative Societies) to look into the matter pertaining to the cooperative societies land scam, which has been pending in the court for three years.

The Judges asked the committee to look into the CBI probe reports concerning to 252 group housing societies, including 135 societies, yet to be allotted land.

The Court asked the committee to file a status report by Jaunary 14, 2007, analying each of the societies and also the members, so that action could be initiated by the appropriate authorities, including the DDA and RCS.

RCS Sat Gopal, who was present in the court, was directed to file a separate report after verifying the genuineness of the 117 land-allotted societies and their members by exercising his jurisdiction, protecting the interest of the members who were registered subsequently.

The committee was directed to meet on Friday at 1500 hrs at CBI headquaters under the chairmanship of the Joint Director CBI. CBI Deputy Inspector General(DIG) A K Malhotra, who was present in the court, was asked to hand over the probe reports to the DDA and RCS.

The RCS was also directed to look into the matter pertaining to Bhagwati CGHS and Naval Technical CGHS, which had filed petitions seeking direction for regularisation of the societies.

The Court said the RCS and DDA Vice Chairman were competent enough to initiate action if there was any fraud or criminality in the housing societies or allottment of land, by cancelling the lease of land or withdrawing the membership, as the case might be.

The Committee was directed to draw upon a plan to deal with the societies or members who had resorted to any fraudulent or criminal wrongdoing in hijacking the societies or inducting members in a wrongful manner.

The CBI submitted its report and said it would require another four weeks to file the final status report after completion of the probe.

While adjourning the matter till January 31, 2007, the Court said the three separate authorities-- CBI, DDA and RCS-- to act independently and take action against the people who had resorted to any criminal wrongdoing.

The High Court had directed the CBI to probe into the group housing society matters pertaining to 117 societies which were allotted land by the DDA and 135 societies recommended for allottment of land by the RCS.

It was alleged that many of the societies had been hijacked by the builder mafia by purchasing the societies or replacing the original members of the governing body and selling the flats at an exorbitant price.

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