Adarsh probe panel summons Deshmukh,Shinde next month

Both had claimed in their respective affidavits before the commission last June that the Adarsh land belonged to the state government and was never reserved for defence personnel or Kargil war heroes.

Meanwhile,the commission also reserved its order on the application moved by another former CM and one of the prime accused in the scam,Ashok Chavan. Chavan,who had to step down as the chief minister in November 2010 following the scandal,had on Tuesday moved an application seeking exemption from appearing before the commission. He claimed his role was restricted to the first three points of reference and he had already submitted his version in the form of an affidavit to the panel.

These claims were refuted on Wednesday by the commission’s counsel Dipan Merchant,who raised a concern of discrimination if any person were to be exempted from appearing before the commission. “Also,at present the commission is just recording evidence; it is not looking into each points of reference. So,what aspect of deposition might prove essential and can turn into an important evidence is difficult to say at this point of time,” he argued.

The state government’s counsel,Anil Sakhre,pointed out that Chavan is facing multiple proceedings — a CBI case,Enforcement Directorate’s investigations,PILs before the Bombay High Court,and a line needs to be drawn somewhere. “The commission has to see that there is no interference of jurisdiction,” he said.

Chavan had,during his tenure as revenue minister in 1999,passed a proposal allowing inclusion of 40 per cent civilians in the society that was initially formed just for retired defence personnel. Deshmukh was the chief minister during that period.