CBI registers case in Adarsh housing society scam

The CBI today registered a case against some retired Army officials and bureaucrats of Maharashtra government in connection with the Adarsh housing society scam.

The case was registered after the CBI last week received flak from the Bombay High Court for its tardy probe in the case.

It was not immediately clear whether the name of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan figures in the FIR registered at the special designated court in Mumbai.

The CBI FIR names two former senior Army officials of the rank of Major General and Brigadier, sources said.

The agency had registered a preliminary enquiry into the scam in November last year.

The decision to register a case was taken after seeking a legal opinion on the evidence which had favoured registering of a case against some people for allegedly forging the documents and abusing official position.

During hearing of a petition in the Adarsh case, a division bench of Justices B H Marlapalle and U D Salvi had asked CBI why it had not registered the case.

"It has been more than two months since CBI has been conducting a preliminary inquiry into the case. Why have you (CBI) not registered FIR as yet?," it had asked.

Two former army chiefs Gen Deepak Kapoor and Gen N C Vij and ex-navy chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh owned flats in the scam-hit society building in upscale Colaba. However, the former top chiefs have claimed that they have now surrendered the flats.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had on January 16 ordered demolition of the building within three months, holding it as "unauthorised" and built in violation of the spirit of coastal regulations.

Apart from violating the CRZ norms, the society is alleged to have got clearances from various authorities through dubious means.

The plush housing society, built on prime defence land has been constructed in alleged violation of rules. The building was originally meant to be a six-storey structure to house Kargil war heroes and their kin but was later extended to 31 floors without mandatory permission.

Chavan had resigned as chief minister in the wake of the scam.