Activist seeks enquiry into BJP MP's benami flats in Adarsh

Activist Pravin Wategaonkar has alleged that a Nagpur based SAN Finance Corporation run by Ajay Sancheti and his brothers Abhay and Anand had procured nine benami flats in the Adarsh building.

"SAN Finance has granted loans/advance of over Rs 2.18 crore for purchase of flats in Adarsh to nine individuals including the company's driver and a former personal secretary. The company in a letter in July 2010 to Adarsh said if any of the nine persons fail to pay back their loan, the flats should be transferred to SAN Finance," Wategaonkar said.

The affidavit further claimed that the letter clearly brings out the complicity between SAN Finance and Adarsh society, in helping the company create benami properties.

"The flats financed by SAN Finance are adjacent. The allotment of adjacent flats to nine individuals funded by SAN Finance, none of whom according to the company have repaid the loans, shows that the company has conspired with Adarsh to secure these flats. This needs to be investigated by CBI," the affidavit stated.

According to the affidavit, one of the owners of the flat Sudhakar Madke is a driver with the Sanchetis who earns a monthly salary of Rs 36,000. SAN Finance had paid Rs ten lakh to Adarsh society on behalf of Madke.

"It appears that SAN Finance entered into benami transactions in respect of these nine individuals for purchase of flats in Adarsh," the affidavit alleged.

Wategaonkar is one of the petitioners who has filed a public interest litigation in the high court seeking Enforcement Directorate to probe the Adarsh matter under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

A division bench of Justices S A Bobde and R G Ketkar will hear the Adarsh matter as also this petition on August 29.

Wategaonkar had earlier sought CBI to reveal its probe against Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and deceased minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in the Adarsh society scam.