But the housing scheme got mired in controversies amid allegations of fake applications. The scam came to light earlier this year after a man who was allotted a flat in the draw of lots told the police that he had not even applied for it.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police started investigations, which revealed a group of people conspired to buy several flats in the names of those from reserved categories - Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes - who were eligible for the flats but could not afford them. The conspirators meant to sell off these flats for huge profits.

So far, the police have arrested Deepak Kumar, who allegedly blew the lid off the scam after he fell out with his fellow real estate agents; retired DDA employee M.L. Gautam and real estate agents Raju Ram, Laxmi Narayan Meena and Vijay Pal.

Satbir Singh and Dinesh Dral were arrested for forging documents to open bank accounts in fictitious names. Suresh Kumar Meena, a Delhi-based real estate agent, was arrested March 19 and Jeet Ram - one of the key financiers - April 27.