HC seeks CBI's reply on demand to prosecute Ashok Chavan

The Bombay High Court today asked CBI to file an affidavit within four weeks in reply to a PIL seeking prosecution of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and some bureaucrats for alleged complicity in the Adarsh Housing Society scam.
The petition, filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar, came up before a bench headed by Justice P V Hardas.
Tirodkar also sought a report on investigation into 'benami' (proxy) purchases of flats in the society.
In many cases, people standing in as proxies for prominent political leaders have allegedly bought flats in the multi- story society which stands in south Mumbai, the PIL says.

The society allegedly came up in violation of various civic as well as environmental rules. The CBI charge sheet last year named Chavan and 12 others as the accused; however the governor of Maharashtra refused to sanction Chavan's prosecution.
Chavan has been accused of granting certain illegal concessions to the society in return for two flats for his relatives.

Tirodkar, arguing in person, contended that it was not necessary for the authorities to seek a sanction to prosecute Chavan and others. He cited a Supreme Court judgement which says no sanction is necessary to prosecute officials when judiciary is monitoring the probe.

In the present case, HC was supervising the probe, he pointed out.
However, CBI counsel said charge sheet has already been filed and nothing more was needed to be probed.
The court asked the central agency to put its stand on an affidavit and deferred the hearing for a month.