Ex-Maha CM Chavan deposes before Adarsh panel

Sat, 30 June 2012

12:32

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Saturday deposed before the inquiry commission set up by the state Government to go into the Adarsh housing society scam.

Chavan, who had to step down as Chief Minister soon after the alleged scam surfaced in November 2010, is one of the 14 accused in the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing several irregularities and violation of rules in construction of the

31-storeyed building in upscale Colaba.

The CBI has alleged in its FIR, which also names several retired army officers and bureaucrats, that Chavan as revenue minister okayed inclusion of civilians in the society meant for defence personnel and, as quid pro quo, his relatives got flats in the south Mumbai high-rise.

Chavan was revenue minister during Vilasrao Deshmukh's first stint as Chief Minister between 1999 and 2003.

In his deposition before the commission on June 27, Deshmukh had sought to absolve himself of culpability in the scam and passed the buck to Chavan, saying the "whole" matter was referred to the Revenue Department for clearance after which the land was allotted.

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