After FIR, CBI to question all those named in Adarsh case

Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI) CBI is all set to issue notices toall those named in the Adarsh housing scam, including formerMaharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, for questioning themover their role in alleged violation of laid-down norms.

As the CBI plans to call them to its office forquestioning, the agency is likely to submit an affidavit inthe Bombay High court tomorrow informing the court that theFIR in the case had been registered against 13 people.

The Bombay High Court had pulled up the CBI in the lasthearing for its slow probe into the scam.

Sources in the agency said that Chavan and other 12 namedin its FIR would be issued notice soon to appear forquestioning in connection with the case.

When contacted, Chavan told PTI that he would react onlyafter he gets the copy of the FIR. "It won''t be proper for meto react as of now," the former Chief Minister said.

Chavan, who had to quit as chief minister last year afterit was found that his family members also owned flats in thesociety, was revenue minister between 2001-03 and had dealtwith files pertaining to the ownership of the land.

He is alleged to have recommended 40 per cent allotmentof flats in the society to civilians, the sources said. Theflats were meant for war widows and heroes of Kargil war.

Last weekend, the CBI registered an FIR in the case, twomonths after initiating a preliminary enquiry. Apart fromChavan, who had to resign when the scam came to light, the FIRalso names society''s general secretary R C Thakur, retiredBrigadier M M Wanchoo and Congress leader K L Gidwani andformer principal secretary of Urban Development departmentRamanand Tiwari.

Other persons include retired Lt General P K Rampal,Major Generals A R Kumar and T K Kaul, Subash Lala, the thenPrincipal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Brig (retd) R CSharma, Pradeep Vyas, the then collector of Mumbai and P VDeshmukh, the then deputy secretary of Urban Developmentdepartment.

CBI had yesterday conducted searches at the premises ofThakur, Tiwari, Gidwani, Wanchoo and Vyas in various parts ofMaharashtra and Bihar. Searches were also conducted at theoffice of Adarsh society at Colaba in south Mumbai.

Searches were on for the second day today at residenceof Deshmukh and the society''s office. "Similar to Thakur andWanchoo, Deshmukh was also not present during the searches. Weare likely to issue notices to them summoning them to remainpresent for questioning," a senior CBI official said.

The CBI has seized several documents from the society''soffice pertaining to minutes of meetings right from the year2000, recommendations, NOCs and other approval lettersobtained from various departments, the sources claimed.

The FIR has been filed under various sections of IPCincluding criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery andshowing forged document as genuine besides sections pertainingto Prevention of Corruption Act.