Apt action will be taken in Adarsh scam: Pallam Raju

New Delhi/Mumbai, Jan 18 (ANI): Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju on Tuesday said appropriate action will be taken against all those held guilty as per the findings of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Adarsh Housing society scam.

"I think based on the report that has been done, we will take suitable action. You can be rest assured that you know those who are guilty will not be let off the hook and it is an aberration but you know things will be rectified. As far as, defence land is concerned, the assets of the armed forces are concerned, we are very conscious about having accountability to the nation," said Raju.

"So, we are taking all measures to computerise all the land records, digitise all the details, the ancient records and to ensure that there is transparency in the way we deal with defence land. So, as far as the future of the building is concerned, I cannot comment on it but a view will be taken in the best interest of everybody," he added, while addressing the media persons on the sidelines of his visit to the annual camp of National Cadet Corps (NCC) held for the Republic Day here.

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court has asked the CBI to complete its probe into the Adarsh housing society scam in two weeks.

The CBI has also been asked to take a decision on filing FIRs in the case.

Earlier, accusing the controversial Adarsh Society of violating the spirit of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) laws, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the society "should be demolished in entirety".

"Adarsh Society should be demolished because it lacked green clearance, Ramesh said in a report submitted on Sunday.

The Ministry of Environment had earlier served a notice to the society asking it why the illegal floors in the building should not be demolished.

The Adarsh scam claimed its first victim last year in the form of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who was forced to resign after reports surfaced that his kin owned flats in the society.

After Chavan, top bureaucrats too faced the axe, most notable among them being Maharashtra's Chief Information Commissioner Ramanand Tiwari and Human Rights Commissioner Subhash K Lalla.

The 31-storey Adarsh Housing Society, originally meant for Kargil war heroes, landed in controversy after media reports said that several politicians, bureaucrats and defence personnel owned flats there.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had on November 15 registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) to probe the alleged role of former and serving Army officers, with the permission of Defence Minister A K Antony. (ANI)