From a lower division clerk to a master racketeer

He has been called the “mastermind” behind the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scam. But do not expect him to be a high profile criminal..

He has been called the “mastermind” behind the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scam. But do not expect him to be a high profile criminal..

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M.L. Gautam (65), the man who connived with property dealers to grab flats under the reserved category quota, retired as a telephone assistant from DDA in January 2004. On Thursday, even DDA officials appeared baffled over his arrest by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

“He was a very junior level official in DDA. Neither did he hold any sensitive post in his tenure in the agency nor was he ever posted in any sensitive department,” said a senior DDA official who did not wish to be named.

Gautam joined the DDA in October 1972 as a lower division clerk. He was later promoted as upper division clerk and then as assistant in the telephone department.

Police said Gautam had reportedly asked Deepak Kumar, the direct selling agent who blew the lid off the scam but was later
arrested, to apply in the reserved category, as the probability of getting a flat under this category was high.

Delhi Police summoned Gautam on Wednesday for questioning. Police said he was not cooperating. They arrested him later.

Meanwhile, Gautam was sent to eight days in police remand and Raju Ram was sent for two days.