New Delhi: Gross misutilisation of slum rehabilitation scheme by Delhi Development Authority officials has been detected and more than 500 DDA employees are facing probe for their alleged involvement in corruption, vigilance officials say.

"Gross misutilisation of slum rehabilitation scheme has come to our notice and investigations are currently going on. It has been found that a large number of plots have been sold illegally even though there is no provision for transfer of plots which are given to the allottees on a licence basis," said the officials.

Plots were given as per the slum rehabilitation scheme in many areas including Bawana, Narela, Kondli and Madanpur Khader. While majority of the graft cases pertain to alleged tampering of tenders and irregularities in land and housing matters, there are a few cases in horticulture department also.

According to a senior official in Vigilance department, the total number of DDA employees, including senior officials, who have come under scanner in the last three months is 543. While there are officers at the level of director, deputy director, chief engineer, executive engineer and commissioner, there are also employees at junior level, the vigilance official said.

There are about 21,000 employees in the DDA, the state-owned land owning agency in the national capital. 

Last year, major penalties were imposed on 75 DDA employees for their involvement in corruption cases, said the vigilance official.

Dismissal from service, compulsory retirement, reduction in rank and reduction in pay are some of the actions taken by the vigilance department as major penalties.

The maximum complaints are coming from land, housing and engineering sections of DDA.