A property dealer, who played an important role in getting applicants’ forms filled in the multi-crore Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scam, has been arrested by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police. Despite the attention and media coverage the scam managed to generate, Vijay Kumar Verma, the property dealer, managed to sell one flat allotted under the housing scheme.

K K Vyas, Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW), said Verma reportedly provided his Shalimar Bagh office — from where he runs Lucky Properties — to three main accused in the scam, Deepak Kumar, Vijay Pal and Surender Singh, alias Suresh, for filling up forms. Verma helped Vijay Pal in selling one of the flats allotted in the name of a dummy/proxy applicant at a premium of Rs 4 lakh, the DCP said.

This flat, allotted in the name of “Moti Lal”, was reportedly sold to one Qasim Ahmad, officials said.

The police had called Verma for questioning on Wednesday after his name came up during the interrogation of the arrested accused. He was later arrested and was on Thursday produced in the Rohini courts, and has been remanded to two days police custody.

Verma, a resident of Paschim Vihar, also had a share in all the flats.

This is the eighth arrest in the case where a group of property dealers and a former DDA official conspired to corner DDA flats reserved for the SC/ST category by fraudulently applying in the name of people belonging to these communities.

The DDA, on December 6, 2008, conducted a draw of lots for over 5,000 flats, for which over 5.67 lakh people had filed applications. The police registered a total of three FIRs after allegations of rigging in the draw were made.

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