Adarsh Society members seek closure of CBI inquiry

Adarsh Society's members have approached the defence ministry and the Central Bureau of Investigation, seeking quashing of the FIR filed in the alleged multi-crore scam in the housing society, in the wake of a judicial probe of the Maharashtra government which had stated that the land belonged to the state and not the defence forces.

In a letter written to Defence Minister A K Antony, CBI Director A P Singh and other senior officials, Manish Deasai, partner of Vidhii law firm, said, "There is no material on record to show that the land on which the Adarsh building stands today belongs to the defence ministry or that it was allotted to the society illegally."

The firm, which represents members of Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society, said the judicial commission appointed by the Maharashtra government which was headed by Justice (retired) J A Patil of Bombay high court had ruled that the land was the property of the state government.

Terming the entire controversy as a "typical case which can be called a trial by media", the members said, "all comments of Kargil for profit and land reserved for Kargil
martyrs, war widows have in fact trampled upon the fundamental rights of some members of the society".

The Adarsh case was registered by the CBI last year in which 14 people, including former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, were named as accused.

"Our client, therefore, requests you to look into the judicial commission's report," and close the CBI inquiry, the members said.