Delhi court acquits ex-IAS officer, 10 others in CGHS land allotment scam

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) A Delhi court has acquitted a former IAS officer and 10 others in an alleged forgery and corruption case linked to the revival of a Cooperative Group Housing Society (CGHS).

District Judge Jagdish Kumar was hearing the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2007 against former registrar of cooperative societies (RCS) Narayan Diwakar and 10 others for various offences, including cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Diwakar was also booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act provisions for allegedly reviving the said society based on forged documents.

The case pertains to the Rs 4,000-crore cooperative group housing societies (CGHS) scandal in Delhi, involving the fraudulent revival of defunct societies to illegally obtain subsidised land from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

Based on a 2006 order of the Delhi High Court, the CBI conducted the present inquiry into the society known as ‘Lords Cooperative Group Housing Society’.

According to the prosecution, the accused persons hatched a criminal conspiracy for the illegally reviving the society.

In a 200-page order dated October 31, the court said, "The evidence as brought on record against the accused persons is not sufficient beyond a reasonable doubt." Regarding the allegations against the former IAS officer, the court said, "There is no direct or indirect evidence being brought on record by the investigating agency against Narayan Diwakar. There is also no evidence that he was hand in glove with any of the accused." It said there was no evidence that he received any monetary benefit from any of the co-accused or otherwise in the process of revival of the society.

The court said Diwakar has passed the order of revival of the society on the condition that the audit and election of the management within the stipulated time, and that he also appointed an election officer.

It said that there was no objection from anyone against the revival of the society, and the revival proceedings were conducted under the Delhi Cooperative Societies (DCS) Act.

"Accused Narayan Diwakar has acted upon the notings being recorded by the concerned public servants those who were entrusted with the work under the DCS Act. It shows his bona fide while passing the revival order," the court said, acquitting him.

It said that the prosecution also failed to prove the charges against the other accused persons. PTI SKM MNR NB