Chavan named in CBI report on Adarsh scam

Chavan named in CBI report on Adarsh scam
PTI
MUMBAI, JAN 29
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was among the 13 people figuring as accused in the FIR (first information report) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today in connection with the Adarsh housing society scam which also names some retired senior army officials.
The FIR, which was filed before a designated court here this afternoon, names retired Lt General (retired) P K Rampal, major generals A R Kumar and T K Kaul, the then general officer commanding in chief, the then Principal Secretary (urban development) Ramanand Tiwari, who was recently suspended by the Maharashtra government as information commissioner, official sources said.
The FIR, which was registered in the designated court of CBI today, was handed over to Special Judge M R Aglawe in a sealed envelope here this afternoon.
The FIR, which has been filed under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and showing forged documents as genuine besides sections pertaining to the Prevention of Corruption Act, named Subash Lala, the then principal secretary to the chief minister and Brig (retired) R C Sharma as accused, the sources said.
 In a sketchy press note, CBI said the agency registered a case related to Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society. “After completion of preliminary enquiry, case has been registered against 13 accused persons belonging to the army, DEO (Defence Estate Office), government of Maharashtra, public servants and unknown persons,” the CBI said in a statement.
The CBI sources claimed that General Secretary of the society R C Thakur, former Brigadier M M Wanchoo and Congress leader K L Gidwani were allegedly the main conspirators in building the society illegally.
 Chavan, who had to quit as chief minister last year after it was found that among the members of the Adarsh society were his late mother in law and sister in law, was the revenue minister between 2001-2003 and he had dealt with files pertaining to ownership of the land.
 He is alleged to have recommended 40 per cent allotment of flats to civilians in the Adarsh Housing Society, which was meant for war widows and heroes of Kargil war, the sources said.
The FIR also named Pradeep Vyas, the then collector of Mumbai between 2002-2005 who is alleged to have ratified 71 persons in the society of which several were ineligible members. His wife Seema is alleged to have a flat in the society.
 The allegation against Kaul was that he had allegedly dishonestly replied to a parliament question as the land was never under the occupation of the army. He himself became a member of the society later.