Adarsh Scam: CBI Yet to Decide on Moving SC Against Ashok Chavan

File photo of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan (centre). 

(Photo: PTI)

Dismissing media reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved the Supreme Court against former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan in the Adharsh scam case, the probe agency’s spokesperson, Abhishek Dayal, said on Thursday, 11 January, that they have not taken a decision on the same yet.

Reiterating this, senior advocate Rana Mukherjee, who is representing the CBI in the case, said they are considering filing an appeal against the Bombay High Court order but have not done so yet.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday listed the case of Chavan, who is an accused in the high- profile multi-crore Adarsh Society scam, to March for final disposal. The top court, however, said the trial court proceedings in the case will stand stayed till the disposal of the case in the apex court. It listed the matter for further hearing on 13 March.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chavan, clarified to the Supreme Court bench that the former Maharashtra CM had appealed against the Bombay High Court’s order of not deleting his name from the list of accused in the case.

During his tenure as Maharashtra revenue minister, the CBI alleged that Chavan had illegally approved allotment of 40 percent of flats to civilians, even though the society was originally meant for defence personnel.

Chavan, currently the president of the Maharashtra unit of the Congress party, had served as chief minister between December 2008 and November 2010 before he was asked to step down over corruption charges. The scam kicked up a huge political storm and was highlighted by the BJP during the 2014 Lok Sabha poll campaign.

On 22 December 2017, the Bombay High Court had granted relief to the Congress leader by quashing the sanction accorded by Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao to the CBI to prosecute him.

It had held that the sanction granted by the Rao could not be “sustained” as it was not based on any fresh material produced by the CBI that could be considered as plausible evidence by courts during trial.

During UPA’s tenure in 2014, the CBI had sought deletion of Chavan's name from the list of accused in the case, but the trial court had refused the probe agency's prayer, a decision which was later upheld by the High Court.

Chavan in 2015 moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's order refusing to delete his name from the list of accused.

(With inputs from PTI)

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