The long list of accused in the case includes MHADA superintendent Madhukar Bhagwat, who was then estate manager, and senior MHADA clerk NC Kelkar. Besides MHADA officials, police are also likely to arrest advocate AN Pandey and notary Krishna Lambat of Bandra Court.

A 772 sq ft flat at Rajgir Court opposite Pritam Hotel, Dadar, was fradulently allotted to one Abdul Qadar Ishaq in December '98 with the connivance of Patil and the other accused. The flat was given as a replacement for a 973.42 sq ft tenement in 8/12 Nizam Street, Bhendi Bazaar, which was demolished way back in1979 after having been found to be in a dilapidated state.

The original tenant of the tenement, Fatima Ishaq, and two sub-tenants Ghulam Batatawala and Lasoonwala had been given temporary residence at a MHADA transit camp at Kannamwar Nagar, Vikhroli. On October 10, '98, the executive engineer of MHADA submitted a report saying that as the Bhendi Bazaar tenement couldn't be reconstructed due to inadequate space, the tenants' name be placed on the `master list.'

MHADA's master list is a list of individuals who are to be allotted houses on a priority basis. On November 11, '98, Ishaq's name was included in the list and exactly a month later, MHADA asked Fatima Ishaq's son (since she had died) Abdul Qadir Ishaq to produce an affidavit-cum-indemnity bond or no objection certificate from the sub-tenants.

Surprisingly, Ishaq had managed to get the NOC from the two sub-tenants on December 7 itself. The sub-tenants also relinquished their tenancy rights on December 28. Ishaq was given possession of the Dadarflat on March 4 this year.

However, soon after Ishaq took possession, heirs of the original sub-tenants approached MHADA for their alternative residence. When MHADA officials showed the NOC of their parents executed in December '98, the heirs of Lasoonwala and Batatawala were shocked. They both showed the death certificates of their fathers who had expired 10 and 15 years ago respectively. Now it was MHADA's turn to be taken aback, as it had been given an affidavit-cum-indemnity bond signed by persons who were dead!

The matter was brought to the notice of chairman of the Repairs and Reconstruction Board Madhu Chavan, who found several lacunae in the case. Chavan filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the crime branch.

Deputy commissioner of police (EOW) Anant Shinde and his team including senior police inspector Khanolkar and sub-inspector Shyam Parulekar then investigated the case and found Patil, Bhagwat, and Kelkar guilty of malpractices and corruption. A case of fraud wasregistered against the trio and many others.

``We are in the process of ascertaining the amount of kickbacks Patil must have received from Ishaq for allotting a flat which has a market value of Rs 50 lakh,'' Parulekar said.

Kelkar too was arrested on Tuesday. While Bhagwat has applied for anticipatory bail, Abdul Qadir is absconding.