A source in the EOW said Meena, who was on the run since the scam came to light, has revealed names of these officials. The source also said that the names matched with those disclosed by Laxmi Narayan Meena, the first accused to be arrested.

A police team that had gone to Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan along with L N Meena returned today. Under the scanner, the source said, are two senior DDA officers, two chartered accountants, four employed with moderate posts (dispatch department), and four from the DDA’s software department.

The software department was responsible for the draw of lots held on December 16, 2008.

Meanwhile, former DDA employee M L Gautam was detained and interrogated today. Sources said he had reportedly helped accused Deepak Kumar in getting information and other assistance from the DDA office.

Gautam worked with the DDA’s telephone department till 2004, EOW officials said. He reportedly stays close to Deepak’s house and the two used to meet regularly during morning walks.

“He apparently told Deepak that he knows a lot of people in the DDA and that he could help him. We are checking his call records and bank accounts to know more about the connivance,” an EOW source said.

EOW officials had visited the DDA headquarters in Vikas Sadan (near ITO) yesterday to trace Gautam’s whereabouts but had found that he was not on the payrolls any longer.

Many on leave
Sources, meanwhile, said many DDA officials have gone on leave to avoid interrogation by investigators from both the police and the DDA. Police sources said a few officials have even started approaching lawyers for guidance.  

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amulya Patnaik said, “It is difficult to say how many are under the scanner but whatever is coming up in the investigations is being properly verified before the next step.”

Police sources said there are possibilities of more arrests in the next couple of days.  

Other states scanned
In another development, the EOW is now also investigating possible irregularities in applications received from two more states: Jharkhand and Chattisgarh. Forms received from some states in the Northeast, including 1,000 from Manipur, are already being scrutinised, as reported by Newsline on Tuesday. Forms from Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi have already been verified and the police are on the lookout for some property dealers here.