State govt, police deny graft charges against CM

MUMBAI, Jan 13: The state government and Mumbai police on Monday denied allegations of unfair allotment of excess floor space index (FSI) to...

MUMBAI, Jan 13: The state government and Mumbai police on Monday denied allegations of unfair allotment of excess floor space index (FSI) to Venus Builders by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi. While police inspector (Crime Branch, CID) M R Chavan filed an affidavit denying the charges, Advocate General C J Sawant personally appeared to present the government side before the division bench of Justice Ajit P Shah and S S Parkar.

The judges have now called for a compilation of legal proceedings initiated against the builder, including two civil suits. The next hearing is scheduled for January 20.

The affidavit of the police comes in the wake of a petition filed by Sushil Mahadeo Birje, a tenant of Gulmoriwadi, Prabhadevi. As per the petition, Venus Builders secured illegal permission from the CM to build a 19-storeyed complex in Gulmoriwadi. Despite government regulations, the builder has not provided any parking space, recreation zone or a power sub-station.

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It is also alleged that the builder illegally converted the surrounding locality of the building into a slum area, so that the old tenants will be given alternative accommodation by the municipal corporation. The tenants registered an FIR on April 19, 1997.

The petitioners have alleged that the CID is unable to probe the complaint against the builder and that the inquiry should be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. However, Chavan’s affidavit demanded prompt probe into the matter. The complaint was registered by inspector Pargunde and later taken over by another sub-inspector. It was ultimately looked into by Chavan in June 1997.