It has also recommended that government ``takeover'' of the apartments, as the land and the structure still belong to the government. The scam had come to light last year after several apartments of the multi-storyed complex had already been sold to unsuspecting Delhiites. The building was sealed and their investment continues to remain blocked.

The five-member committee was set up by the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly October 29, 1997, following an uproar in last year's monsoon session. The committee will submit its report to the House in the coming session that begins September 24.

The report points out that serious lapses on the part of various civic bodies facilitated the coming up of the apartments. Looking into ``the status of the land and the sanction of building plans it is evident that the officers of various agencies have connived at one stage or the other with the owners of the land...'', the report says. ``Even the building plans have been sanctioned on the land earmarked for primary school.''

The investigators traced the ownership from 1919 when the land was bought from Lala Raghbar Dayal by the district administration's Notified Area Committee (NAC) for Rs 9,200. In 1920, the land was leased to an Englishman, Edward Keventer. In 1943, the land was sold by the administration to Rati Ram, though there are no records of this deal. In 1989, the heirs of Rati Ram, Ram Pyari and Kamal Singh sold the land to a group of 17 persons.

The land was registered thrice on the same day (July 28, 1989). First, it was entered into the revenue records in the name of late Rati Ram, then in the name of Ram Pyari and Kamal Singh. Finally, it was registered in the names of all the 17 buyers.

``Sanction of mutation in the name of dead person (Rati Ram) is highly improper, if not illegal, with the entire process of sanctioning all mutations in one day....'' the report says and recommends, ``The government should take stringent action against such persons who have flouted the law...''

When the committee tried verifying the original sale deed of the land, it failed to locate it. ``It seems at one stage or the other, the office of the sub-registrar, Kashmere Gate, became a party and facilitated a forged sale deed being registered in a back date,'' the report says.