Adarsh Scam: CBI names Former CM Ashok Chavan in FIR

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed an FIR in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam. The FIR has been filed against retired army officials, defence estate officials and public servants.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan has also been named in the FIR but he is not an accused in the case yet.

CBI Joint Director Rishi Raj Singh said that 13 persons have been named in the FIR. The only politician to have been named as an accused in the FIR is former Congress MLC is Kanhaiyalal Gidwani.

The others who have been named in the FIR include RC Thakur, Major General (retired) MM Wanchoo and IAS officer Pradeep Vyas.

The FIR has been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code for forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

The Bombay High Court had on January 18 pulled up the CBI asking on what basis has the agency taken up the inquiry into the alleged housing scam without registering an FIR.

The High Court had also directed the CBI to take a final decision on registration of FIR in the controversial Adarsh case within two weeks.

A chief minister, state information commissioner and state human rights commission chairman have already become the victim of the scam.

Ashok Chavan was forced to quit from the post of Maharashtra chief minister while two senior bureaucrats have also faced action for their alleged involvement in the scam.

While information commissioner Ramanand Tiwari has been suspended, state human rights commission chairman Subhash Lalla has resigned from his post over their alleged involvement in the scam.

Army officers involved in the society are also being investigated by the Army Court of Inquiry.

Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society was originally meant for war heroes and their dependents but most the flats in it were cornered by senior politicians, bureaucrats and defence officials.

The society is also alleged to have violated environmental guidelines and constructing more floors than was originally sanctioned.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forest the Adarsh society was unauthorised and did not have any clearance from the Coastal Management Authority. The complex allegedly violates the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991.