Scam haunts CBI

NEW DELHI: The ghost of the multi-crore Cooperative Group Housing Society (CGHS) scam has come to haunt the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) again even as the investigating agency gave a clean chit to 22 ‘illegal’ societies after almost two years of investigations.

Though the CBI found incriminating documents from the premises of builders against these 22 societies after carrying out raids, it hasn’t been able to prove the involvement of these societies in the scam. According to estimates, the scam had involved bungling of more than Rs. 4,000 crore.

“We have not found enough evidence against these housing societies, so we have given a clean chit to them,” said a senior official of CBI, adding that the agency had registered over 200 cases in August 2005 after the case was transferred to it.

“We have informed the court that there is not much evidence against these 22 societies,” said the officer. This is not the first time that the CBI hasn’t been able to prove charges against illegal societies. A few days ago, the CBI was pulled up by the Delhi HC  for giving a clean chit to two other societies named in the scam.

The HC had observed that though the CBI had found ample evidence against these illegal societies, it was unable to bring these societies to task.

“We don’t think there is any lax in investigation. It is a lengthy case and would take time,” he added.