Home Ministry's nod to ACB to hold open inquiry against Gavit

Maharashtra government today told Bombay High Court that the state Home Ministry had given consent to the Anti-Corruption Bureau to conduct an open inquiry against former Medical Education Minister Vijaykumar Gavit and his relatives in a disproportionate assets case.
Public prosecutor Samir Patil told the division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka that Home Ministry had cleared the ACB's proposal and the file had been forwarded to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan who would take a decision soon.
The court, which was hearing a Public Interest Litigation seeking inquiry against Gavit, adjourned the matter to June 30.
Last week the court had questioned government's inaction despite an ACB report finding prima facie substance in the allegations against Gavit. "Because of the inaction, the evidence will vanish," the judges had said.

ACB had said that 'a discreet inquiry' into the assets of Gavit and his family members revealed some evidence, and it sought permission from the government on March 5 to hold an open inquiry, but the permission was yet to come.
Earlier, the court had also asked Gavit to file affidavit declaring sources of the funds from which he purchased the properties mentioned in the PIL.

The PIL, filed by Nashik-based activist Vishnu Musale, was admitted by the High Court in April this year.
ACB had earlier submitted that even before the PIL was filed it had received several complaints and had held 'a discreet inquiry' against the former minister.

Gavit, a senior NCP leader, was sacked from the cabinet after his daughter Heena Gavit accepted a Lok Sabha ticket from BJP from Nandurbar seat (and went on to win).