Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 10: In a major land allotment fraud case dating back over three decades, a Delhi court has convicted an advocate, his wife and a former government official for creating a fictitious woman named Suman to illegally obtain a plot under a compensation scheme for farmers.

CBI investigations revealed that “Suman” never existed. Yet, a plot measuring 80 sq yards in South Delhi was allotted in her name in 1992, allegedly using forged documents submitted to the Land & Building Department.

The scam surfaced when the CBI recovered an original departmental file linked to the allotment from the residence of advocate N K Gupta. An FIR was registered soon after, naming Gupta, his wife and S S Malhi, an official of the department, as accused.

According to CBI findings, Malhi misused his official position to help the accused secure the illegal allotment. The agency noted that the trio had earlier been convicted in three similar cases involving fraudulent land acquisitions.

During the probe, the agency found that Suman’s name did not appear on electoral rolls between 1987 and 1992. A notice issued by DDA in 2003 was returned undelivered due to an incomplete address. Local residents and postal authorities also confirmed that no such person ever lived there.

Special Judge Chhavi Kapoor of the Rouse Avenue Court, in her order, stated that the accused had “carefully and meticulously” filled incomplete and misleading details to conceal the false identity of Suman and secure unlawful gain.

Holding them guilty of criminal conspiracy under the IPC and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the court said the fraud was carried out with clear intention to benefit themselves and third parties by illegal allotment of government plots.