Fire in the four-storey building in Mundka had left 27 people deadA Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official, who had filed complaints regarding issuance of several fake No Objection Certificates (NOCs) last year, has written to the Police Commissioner and BSES Vigilance department seeking an enquiry into the matter after the fire in a four-storey building in Mundka left 27 people dead.
No action was taken by police on his complaints filed last year, sources said, adding that the BSES had taken action against two staffers following the complaint.
The fake NOCs were allegedly sold to builders, shop owners and office spaces for Rs 50,000-1,00,000 to get a BSES connection, said sources in the DFS. The Mundka building owner too allegedly used a fake fire NOC and other documents to get licences and electricity connections, police found during their probe.
The complainant, an assistant divisional officer at the DFS, said he had first filed complaints with the Dwarka and Southwest district police last March after he found that a number of fake fire NOCs were allegedly being made in his name in Dwarka and Palam areas.
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The Indian Express accessed the police complaints dated March 5, 2021, and March 22, 2021. No FIR has been registered in the case. The complaint reads: “The format and dispatch numbers of these fake fire safety certificates (FSC) resemble the original FSC… issued by this department, and it appears to be fabricated by someone to deceive and cheat the public. These FSCs (were) issued to the owners of buildings in Southwest division with the name and designation of (complainant)… whereas he has never been posted in Southwest division… It is a matter of forgery by impersonation… Further, the impersonator seems to access the verification letter… of BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and replied in affirmation with a fake letter on behalf of Delhi Fire Services with my name and designation, which implies that this criminal act is done by nexus of racket in furtherance of common intention…”
After the Mundka incident, the complainant said he again sent a letter to Delhi Police DCPs, Police Commissioner, BSES, L-G’s Secretary and other officials by mail. He requested the police chief to hand over the matter to a central agency of Delhi Police such as the Crime Branch for a “fair investigation”.
A senior DFS officer said: “We have received several fake fire NOCs being used in Dwarka last year and this year. These were being sold to shop owners and builders across Southwest and Outer Delhi. We want an investigation.”
Atul Garg, DFS Chief, had earlier told The Indian Express they filed a police complaint regarding the fake NOCs.
Asked about the action in the case, a senior police officer said they have received the complaint and will investigate the matter. Police refused to comment on the delay in reference to the complaints filed in the matter last year.
Meanwhile, sources said BSES had found the involvement of two staff members, who were outsourced, in the forgery and impersonation case.
Sources confirmed that the two staffers were removed from their posts after the incident came to light. “Only a handful of connections had been provided by these methods,” sources said.
However, an officer from the BSES vigilance team told The Indian Express that around 100-200 connections may have been provided using the complainant’s name. “We are not sure if the same two staffers were involved in providing these connections. An enquiry revealed that many builders and shop owners used the fake NOC to get clearance and BSES connection,” said the officer from the vigilance team.
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