DDA to wrap up probe in 3 days

In a remarkable turnaround, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday decided to conduct a probe into its controversial draw of lots for 5,328 apartments, held last month.

In a remarkable turnaround, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday decided to conduct a probe into its controversial draw of lots for 5,328 apartments, held last month.

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The change in stand came just a day after DDA Housing Commissioner Asma Manzar claimed the draw was “100 per cent fool-proof.”

3-member panel constituted
On Tuesday, DDA Vice-chairman AK Nigam constituted a three-member committee to look into the process of allotment of flats and the alleged irregularities. The committee has three days — till January 9 — to submit its report.

Hasty probe?
But the three-day deadline has raised eyebrows. “First, DDA hurried through the process of scrutinising the application forms before holding the draw of lots. Now, it wants to rush through the inquiry process also. How can it complete such a mammoth inquiry in just three days,” asked Udit Raj, Chairman of the SC/ST Commission.

On Monday, Manzar had conceded the possibility of irregularities at the time of submission of applications.

Procedures, forms will be scrutinised
“The mandate of the committee will be to check whether DDA had followed all the laid down procedures. It will also go through the applications selected for the lottery to see whether there were any irregularities in the forms submitted to the agency,” said a senior DDA official.

Central pressure
The move to form a committee comes a day after Jaipal Reddy, Union Urban Development Minister, directed DDA to hold a high-level internal inquiry into the allotments. The Minister of State for Urban Development, Ajay Maken, had also written to DDA on Saturday, directing it to hold an internal inquiry into the allotment process.