They have asked for all necessary files regarding Rajuk's board decisions in 2003- 2006 and lists of all plot allottees during this period at Gulshan-Banani, Uttara third phase, Tongi and Badda projects.

Sources said the team from the Special Branch(SB) of police is probing alleged corruption of Housing and Public Works minister of the immediate past government Mirza Abbas as well as those given special facilities by Rajuk. It will also investigate corrupt practices of at least 20 Rajuk officials who made huge amounts of money during the tenure of the BNP-led four-party alliance government by providing illegal facilities to many. Some of them went into hiding following the arrest of three leaders of Rajuk officials recently.

A high official of Rajuk said that the government might cancel allocation of plots under political consideration or those of allottees who used false names.

Rajuk chairman KM Harun admitted that the SB is conducting a probe.

"Yes, special branch sought some files from us. They are investigating certain allegations of corruption," Harun said when contacted.

He however said he did not know anything about possible cancellation of any housing project or allocation of plots. "It is absolutely a government decision. I am yet to know anything about it."

At the fag end of the four-party coalition rule, the then housing minister allegedly influenced approval of the housing projects of some companies although they violated Rjuk rules by filling up wetlands and flood flow zones, sources said.

The law enforcers are also looking into how some business entities got Rajuk land at very cheap rate in 2004 allegedly due to interference by the former minister, sources said.

Many of the plots at Rajuk's Gulshan-Banani project were allocated to influential ministers, high officials, lawmakers and BNP leaders during the four years since 2003. Some of the allottees already owned landed property in the capital.

The authorities sold out application forms for plots to general public and as many as 3,000 aspirants applied for those. But only a few of them got plot during that time, Rajuk sources said.

The Daily Star ran a report in this regard during that period and the then Rajuk chairman said, " Applying for allotment of the Gulshan-Banani land is open to all. But it is natural that we have to give priority to ministers, lawmakers and judges. And the number of plots is very limited."

Besides, the Rajuk authorities allocated hundreds of plots at Uttara third phase project without developing the lands. Most of the lands remain under water for most of the year.

"Only a few of the allottees have so far got formal letters from Rajuk about plot allocation and the others are yet to get those," said a top official requesting not to be named.

All past governments made plot allocations based on political considerations disregarding the principle of fairness, he noted. Besides the immediate past government, the Awami League government had also allocated 16 plots at Gulshan-Banani under 'special rules' in 1999-2000, he mentioned.