HC rejects Ashok Chavan's plea in Adarsh scam

Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) The Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected a plea by former chief minister Ashok Chavan challenging its ruling refusing permission to CBI to delete his name as an accused from the charge-sheet in the Adarsh Society scam.

The CBI had approached the court in November 2014 with a plea seeking to drop Chavan's name from the Adarsh Society case charge-sheet on grounds that the governor had declined to sanction his prosecution.

Rejecting the CBI's plea, Justice M.L. Tahaliyani had ruled that the governor had refused permission to prosecute Chavan on the conspiracy charges, but he (Chavan) could be prosecuted under corruption charges.

In December 2014, Chavan had moved the Bombay High Court against the ruling.

The CBI charge-sheet has alleged conspiracy by Chavan and questioned his actions as revenue minister and then as chief minister at the relevant time.

Among other things, Chavan has been accused of suggesting inclusion of civilians in the society, meant for defence personnel, in an alleged bid to get flats allotted to his relatives.

The latest development implies that Chavan would have to stand the trial in the Adarsh Society scam case, delivering a major setback to the newly appointed Maharashtra Congress President.

In 2012, the CBI had lodged a charge-sheet against 13 persons, including Chavan, accusing them of various wrongdoings, including conspiracy, for their role in getting the land allotted for the 31-storey Adarsh CHS building in the prime Colaba area of south Mumbai. Later on, several politicians and bureaucrats or their relatives were allotted flats at cheap rates.