DDA draw may be shelved

While the news of the suspected scam in allotment of DDA flats caused outrage among those who missed out, there is now some bad news for
the lucky ones who made it.

The Union urban development ministry is toying with the idea of cancelling the entire draw if the inquiry proves that the alleged foul play was more widespread than is presently being suspected. Speaking to TOI, minister of state for urban development Ajay Maken said: ‘‘We have asked the DDA vice-chairman to submit a report to us. We will not allot even a single flat if there are doubts about its allotment. None of the flats where there are allegations of foul play will be allotted. In case the police inquiry shows that there are a very large number of flats where such rigging happened, we will scrap the entire process.’’

TOI had first reported on Saturday that the economic offences wing of Delhi Police had begun an inquiry into allegations by Udit Raj, chief of All India Confederation for SC/ST Organisations, that the allotment process of 1,200-odd flats in the reserved category had been rigged.

Asked if allottees of the other 3,800-odd flats too may need to wait longer, Maken said: ‘‘We are taking it very seriously. No allotment can happen before these doubts are cleared.’’