Adarsh:BJP wants FIR against guilty, Cong puts up brave face

Mumbai, Apr 30: The Bombay High Court order to demolish the 31-storey Adarsh apartments continued to evoke strong political reactions with the BJP today demanding that the Maharashtra Government lodge an FIR against the guilty while the Congress accused the ruling party of playing "vindictive politics" over the issue.

State Congress Chief Ashok Chavan, who had to resign as chief minister in 2010 after coming under a cloud over the scam, maintained that he would react only after studying the verdict.

"We have not seen the court order. It would not be proper for me to comment before seeing the actual judgement," Chavan told PTI. Stepping up the offensive, BJP Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar wanted the state government led by his party to file FIR against the guilty.

"The ramifications of the case which involves cheating are wide. The role of politicians who helped their relatives obtain flats in the controversial Adarsh society needs to be probed," Shelar told reporters here. "Some people had benefited in the scam and so we want an FIR to be registered first and not just re-inquiry," he said.

Putting up a brave front, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the ruling party should first answer what action has it taken on Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and BJP Rajya Sabha member Ajay Sanchethi's relatives who have flats in the society.

"It was our Government when Jairam Ramesh was the Environment minister that ordered the demolition of the society. The BJP is indulging in vindictive politics and playing with the Constitution and they will be taught a lesson through the constitutional means," Sawant said.

The Bombay High Court had yesterday ordered demolition of the Adarsh apartments at Colaba in the heart of Mumbai and sought criminal proceedings against politicians and bureaucrats for "misuse" of powers, holding that the tower was illegally constructed.

Shelar said it was after the BJP-led government took over in 2014 that Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao granted CBI permission to prosecute the guilty, Shelar said.

The role of the officials of Mumbai civic body (MCGM) and those in the state government should also be investigated, he said. "An inquiry will reveal everything but we demand that the government first file an FIR," Shelar added. The Adarsh Housing Society is constructed on a prime plot of land in Colaba here.

It was meant for Kargil war widows and defence personnels. However, politicians, bureaucrats and military officers allegedly conspired to bend rules and obtained flats for themselves or for relatives at below-the-market rates.

PTI