The DPCHS had been given land in the Lohegaon suburb of Pune in recognition of the contribution of defense personnel to the Kargil war. The housing scam, similar to that of the Adarsh housing scam of Mumbai, had forced the state government to go on the back foot after the media exposed the scam.

Details of the recommendation were released by Dalvi at a press conference late on Saturday. He said the process of cancellation would be completed within one month. Surprisingly, it was Dalvi himself who had approved the list.

“Recommending and forwarding the proposal for the cancellation of the memberships is my own decision and is not based on any complaint. So far, I have received no complaints in connection to the memberships of government officials in the society,” Dalvi said.

The issue has stirred controversy after the media exposed the infiltration of state government officials into the DPCHS, which was granted land at peanut rates by the state government.

Dalvi, who had two days ago told the media that he would look at the scam, said at the press conference that he had taken a decision to cancel the memberships in December last year but had not sent the proposal for the cancellation to the commissioner. He gave no reason for it.

A high-ranking Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer told Arab News that though the collector had taken a decision to cancel the membership, there is a dire need for a probe into the scam.