Maharashtra orders judicial probe into Adarsh scam

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday announced a two-member judicial panel probe into irregularities in the Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society. He said the terms of reference would soon be decided by the government and Opposition members. A two-member committee will conduct an inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act into the irregularities and allocation of land to Adarsh society. A retired Supreme Court or a High Court judge and a former chief secretary- level official will conduct the inquiry on the lines of the terms of reference decided by the government, said Chavan.Chavans announcement overruled the Oppositions demand for a joint legislature committee to probe the scam,prompting them to shout slogans and stage a walkout. Replying to a three-hour discussion on the Adarsh scam,the CM said the land belonged to the state government and was given to the Defence authorities. Chavan said that letters between the two authorities showed that the Defence authorities gave land in Santacruz for developing the Western Express Highway and in return may have been given land in Colaba. We have a firm stand that the land belongs to the government. CBI is conducting an inquiry into the land ownership and the truth will come out, said Chavan.

The CM said the right to grant permission under Coastal Regulation Zone rules in this matter was with the central government. It is clear that no permission was taken from the MoEF or the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority. The required CRZ clearance was not taken, Chavan said.