Delhi Court Acquits Former IAS Officer and 10 Others in Cooperative Society Revival Case

New Delhi: Observing that the prosecution was unable to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, a court acquitted a former IAS officer and 10 others in an alleged forgery and corruption case regarding the revival of a cooperative group housing society.In a 200-page order dated Oct 31, district judge Jagdish Kumar said the evidence brought on record against the accused was not sufficient beyond a reasonable doubt.CBI had filed the case in 2007 against former registrar of cooperative societies Narayan Diwakar and the rest for various offences, including cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. Diwakar was also booked under Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly reviving the society based on forged documents.You Can Also Check:Delhi AQI|Weather in Delhi|Gold Rate Today in Delhi|Silver Rate Today in DelhiThe case is part of a Rs 4,000-crore scandal involving the fraudulent revival of defunct societies in the city to illegally obtain subsidised land from Delhi Development Authority. Following a high court order in 2006, CBI had conducted the inquiry involving Lords Cooperative Group Housing Society. The probe unearthed the scam.According to the prosecution, the accused had hatched a criminal conspiracy for illegally reviving the society.However, pointing out that there was no direct or indirect evidence brought on record by the investigating agency against Diwakar, the judge said there was also no evidence that he was in collusion with any of the accused.Underlining the lack of evidence about Diwakar receiving any monetary benefit from any of the co-accused or otherwise, the court said the officer passed the revival order on the condition that the audit and the election of the management would occur within the stipulated time.He had also appointed an election officer, it added.Noting that there was no objection from anyone against reviving the society and the revival proceedings were conducted under Delhi Cooperative Societies Act, the judge said Diwakar had acted upon the notings recorded by the public servants who were entrusted with the work under the Act.