Action initiated against guilty for double allotments of flats

Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court that it had already initiated action against guilty officers and beneficiaries of double or multiple allotments of flats under the Chief Minister's discretionary housing quota.
"Concerned authorities have been directed to take action before January 21 next year against the guilty officers and beneficiaries of double or multiple allotment of flats under CM's quota", said Deputy Secretary of Urban Development, D Yadav, in an affidavit.
A division bench, headed by Justice Abhay Oka, took the affidavit on record and adjourned the matter by a month to enable the government file Action Taken Report (ATR).

Public Prosecutor Dr F R Shaikh said the action against the guilty would be based on suggestions given by the High Court-appointed Committee of Retd Justice J A Patil which probed the double or multiple allotments of flats from the CM's quota.
The committee had suggested that possession of such flats would be immediately taken away by the government and if they were already sold by the beneficiaries then they would have to pay the difference between the prevailing rates of the ready reckoner and the price they had got at the time of sale of the houses.
The committee was asked to probe double or multiple allotment of flats under the CM's quota since 1982 and recommend action to be taken against the beneficiaries.

The bench, on October 9 last year, had appointed Justice Patil to probe the allegations of double or multiple allotment of flats hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar.
The PIL alleged that many people got more than one flat under the CM's quota by making false declarations. It said most beneficiaries are politicians or those who are close to them.
The allotment under the CM's quota has now been stopped following the high court's order. Under the scheme, the flats were supposed to be given to freedom fighters, art personalities and sports persons.