Identify genuine CGHS members fast: HC

The Registrar of Cooperative Societies has been asked to specify a time frame within which he can identify members affected by the Rs 4,000-cr group housing scam, reports HV Nair.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to specify a time frame within which he can complete the process of identifying genuine members affected by the Rs 4,000-crore group housing scam.

HT Image

A Bench headed by Justice Manmohan Sarin, which is looking into the modalities of carrying out the verification, told Registrar UK Vohra that once he fixed a time frame, he would have to adhere to it or else he would be "hauled up in contempt". The Registrar will announce the time frame on Thursday.

On March 8, the court had appointed a high-power committee to expedite identification of genuine members as thousands of families, mostly in Dwarka, await allotment since years. But the panel could not go ahead with the task following a rift within.

Registrar Vohra, a member of the committee, felt scrutinizing eligible members was his exclusive domain and the three other members -- including its Chairman, retired High Court judge JP Singh -- had no business to interfere.

The court was upset over the development but acting in the "larger interest" allowed Vohra to do the "spade work" and then subject his findings to scrutiny by the committee.

But the differences continued. KC Miittal, the amicus curiae (lawyer helping the court) in the matter, and the association of CGHS affected members were against the Registrar independently handling the verification drive.