MUMBAI: In a setback to the opposition Congress party, Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao today gave his sanction to the CBI to prosecute former state Chief Minister Ashok Chavan for conspiracy and cheating in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society case.
The Governor gave permission to prosecute Chavan under section 197 of CrPC, for offences under Section 120-B (conspiracy) and 420 of IPC (cheating) in the Adarsh Housing scam.
The Joint Director CBI, Mumbai, had sought sanction for prosecution of Chavan on October 8 last year on the basis of the additional or fresh material, namely, the report of Justice Patil Commission of Enquiry and the observations of the Bombay High Court in the Criminal Revision Application.
The Governor had sought the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers which had urged him to grant the sanction. The scam, unearthed in November 2010, related to irregularities committed in construction and allotment of flats in the 31-storey Adarsh Housing Society, meant for the welfare of war widows and personnel of India?s Ministry of Defence.
Chavan had to resign following the widespread condemnation of the manner in which politicians, bureaucrats and military officers had allegedly conspired to bend several rules concerning land ownership, zoning, floor space index and membership to get themselves flats allotted in the cooperative society at below-market rates.
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