Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Alok Aggarwal allowed investigators to conduct searches at Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd's command office in Lucknow and three of its buildings in Noida after he was informed by the police that the company had not responded to notices seeking certain documents to facilitate investigations.

The investigating officer (IO) also told the court during a recent hearing that besides Darshan Singh, the complainant in the present case, at least 17 others have joined the investigation as complainants. They are all claim the company cheated them on the pretext of providing houses in Gurgaon at cheap rates.

In the status report, the IO produced the High Court's May 6 order in which Justice Manmohan Sarin had refused to drop charges against Sahara India. Justice Sarin held that the allegations company were "startling" and that no company could be allowed to cheat thousands of people.

The High Court had given a go-ahead to the probe and directed Delhi Police to conduct further investigations and file a status report. It had also ordered the police to find out about other similar complaints against the company.

"In these circumstances, I am satisfied that the issuance of the search warrant to facilitate seizure of relevant documents is necessary in this case," ACMM Aggarwal said. "Accordingly, search warrants be issued authorising the IO to search the premises: Command Office, Sahara India Bhawan, Lucknow, and Sahara India Parivar (C-2, C-3, C-4) in Noida."

The investigators have been authorised to get their hands on documents pertaining to company accounts, details of investigators, ownership of land for the proposed township and development works, if any, initiated by them.

Sahara India had launched two schemes in 2003, Sahara Swarn Yogana and Sahara Rajat Yogana, for providing housing to millions in about 202 cities across the country.

Under Sawarna Yogana, an investor had to pay Rs 1 lakh lump sum or Rs 10,000 per month for 10 months to get a house. Under Rajat Yogana, one was required to pay an advance of Rs 10,000 lump sum.

The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police is investigating the matter on a complainant filed by Darshan Singh, 70, who claimed to have invested more than Rs 2 lakh in the housing scheme four years ago but was neither allotted flats nor was his investment refunded.