New Delhi, Oct 31 (NationPress) A Special CBI Court in Delhi has handed down prison sentences to 13 individuals, including a retired IAS official, ranging from two to five years for their involvement in a massive Cooperative Group Housing Society (CGHS) scam. This fraud, which involved forgery and corruption, aimed to reactivate defunct housing societies, ultimately deceiving thousands of potential homebuyers in the capital.

The accused were found guilty in connection with the Safadarjung Co-operative Group Housing Society Case, as detailed in a statement by the CBI.

Among the convicts, Karamvir Singh, Narender Kumar, Maha Nan Sharma, Pankaj Madan, Ahawni Sharma, Ashutosh Pant, Sudershan Tandon, Manoj Vats, Vijay Thakur, Vikas Madan, and Poonam Awasthi received sentences of five years in prison along with fines.

Meanwhile, the retired IAS official Gopal Dixit and Narender Dheer, who is 90 years old, were each sentenced to two years in prison, accompanied by fines, as stated in the official announcement.

This case involves serious irregularities and a criminal conspiracy to unlawfully revive the society by employing false and fabricated documents from the office of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.

The investigation revealed that both public servants and private individuals conspired to fraudulently reinstate the society using forged documents, securing land allotments from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) through deceptive practices.

Once the land was acquired, the associated flats were sold to new members or agents at inflated prices. The conspirators allegedly fabricated fake membership lists, affecting countless prospective homebuyers.

Following the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet on February 13, 2008. After a thorough trial, the Special Court convicted the 13 individuals and imposed sentences on Friday.

The CBI initiated multiple FIRs against the alleged conspirators, which included developers, officials, and builders, facing charges such as criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and corruption under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

With over 135 fake societies uncovered, this scam has left many individuals without homes, burdened with ongoing financial liabilities and rising EMIs.

In one notable case, the CBI secured a one-year prison sentence for the then Registrar of Cooperative Societies Narayan Diwakar. Other officials such as Assistant Registrar Yogi Raj and Dealing Assistant Niranjan Singh also received prison sentences.