Me not a promoter,says Gidwani

Former MLA and Adarsh scam accused Kanhaiyalal Gidwani claimed before the state government-appointed two-member commission probing the matter on Wednesday that he was never a promoter of the society.

He has generally been referred to as one of the three promoters of the society,the other two being former defence estates officer R C Thakur and retired brigadier M M Wanchoo. Gidwani also denied the claim of Commodore John Mathew that he,with Thakur and Wanchoo,paraded army officers in uniform before two former chief ministers to give the impression that the society was being formed for the welfare of defence personnel.

He said,I further wish to say I never paraded any of the members of the society before the chief minister and the statement made by Commodore John Mathew to that effect is not correct. I wish to add that I was never a promoter or chief promoter of Adarsh CHS. Gidwani also denied he included the name of P V Deshmukh,former deputy secretary in the state urban development department,in the list of society members.

In a significant statement,he told the panel that the name of government contractor Shivaji Kale was suggested by former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

Gidwani also claimed that former municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak had suggested the names of his son Kanishka and Seema,wife of former city collector Pradeep Vyas. Seema was then deputy secretary in the food and civil supply department,while Pradeep was secretary.

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