Bombay High Court satisfied with progress in Adarsh scam

Mumbai, Mar 16 (ANI): Expressing satisfaction on the progress report submitted to it into the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is on the right track in its investigation.

A division bench of Justices Ranjana Desai and Rajesh Ketkar, while hearing petitions filed in connection with the scam, said: "We are positive that CBI is investigating in the right track. Some time should be given to the agency to conduct further probe including the missing files case which is also a serious offence."

The petitions included those of the Adarsh Society's seeking the investigating agency to de-freeze its bank accounts and social activist Simpreet Singh's plea wanting the High Court to supervise the probe.

The court, while hearing the petition filed by Adarsh Society, asked the CBI to consider if concession could be given regarding the Rs 32 lakh dues incurred by the society in upmarket Colaba area in Mumbai.

The Society has been directed to file an affidavit giving a list of their dues by March 25.

"Investigations have revealed that prime accused K L Gidwani has three flats in the Society under 'Benami' names. All transactions made by the accused are from the Society's accounts. More instances of 'Benami' transactions are evident and needs to be proved further," said Additional Solicitor General Darius Khambatta, who appeared for the CBI.

The CBI had on January 29 registered an FIR against 13 people, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in connection with the case.

The Environment Ministry had on January 16 directed the society to demolish within three months the unauthorised building in South Mumbai for violating coastal regulations.

The Adarsh scam claimed its first victim last year in the form of Ashok Chavan, who was forced to resign after reports surfaced that his kin owned flats in the society.

After Chavan, top bureaucrats too faced the axe, most notably among them being Maharashtra's Chief Information Commissioner Ramanand Tiwari and Human Rights Commissioner Subhash K Lalla.

The 31-storey Adarsh Housing Society, originally meant for Kargil war heroes, landed in controversy after media reports said that several politicians, bureaucrats and defence personnel owned flats there. (ANI)