Adarsh Society land belongs to defence, says Antony

Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) Defence Minister A.K. Antony Saturday asserted that the land in the city on which the controversial Adarsh Society stands belongs to the defence ministry.

He said that contrary to the Maharashtra government's contention that the land belonged to the state, it was actually in the possession of the defence ministry.

"There is our possession on the land and we have conveyed this to the commission," Antony told mediapersons on the sidelines of a defence ministry function here.

His comments came in response to queries on the Adarsh Society scam and last week's deposition by former army chief General Deepak Kapoor, who claimed he was not aware the building, which overlooks the sensitive naval establishment, could have posed a security risk.

Antony also said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had every right to investigate the Adarsh Society case.

Last month, the state government had challenged in the Bombay High Court the CBI's jurisdiction on investigating the Adarsh Society case on grounds that neither the state government nor the court has handed the matter to it (CBI) for a probe.