CBI seeks approval to drop Chavan's name from Adarsh scam accused list

T he Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached a special court to seek approval for dropping the name of former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan from the list of accused in Adarsh housing society scam following the state governor's refusal to sanction his prosecution.

Special Public Prosecutor Bharat Badami filed an application before CBI court judge S.G. Dighe, requesting him to allow the removal of Chavan's name from the list of 13 accused charge-sheeted in the case, citing the governor's decision, which it said was "non-appealable".

The court has reserved its order on the application for Saturday.

Acceptance of CBI's plea by the court would come as a huge relief for Chavan.

A judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Maharashtra Government had indicted Chavan along with two other former chief ministers-Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushilkumar Shinde-for blatant violations of statutory provisions in granting various clearances to the scam-tainted Adarsh housing society.

The judicial panel's report had said that there was certainly a nexus between the acts of Chavan and benefits derived by his close relatives. It also said that the membership process clearly indicates that grant of requisite permission by Chavan was by way of quid pro quo.

Chavan, 55, who had to step down as chief minister after the scam surfaced, had challenged his inclusion in the charge sheet on the ground that no sanction for prosecution had been obtained from the state governor.