After FIR, CBI to question all those named in Adarsh case

As the CBI plans to call them to its office for questioning, the agency is likely to submit an affidavit in the Bombay High court tomorrow informing the court that the FIR in the case had been registered against 13 people.The Bombay High Court had pulled up the CBI in the last hearing for its slow probe into the scam.

Sources in the agency said that Chavan and other 12 named in its FIR would be issued notice soon to appear for questioning in connection with the case.

When contacted, Chavan told PTI that he would react only after he gets the copy of the FIR. "It won't be proper for me to react as of now," the former Chief Minister said.
Chavan, who had to quit as chief minister last year after it was found that his family members also owned flats in the society, was revenue minister between 2001-03 and had dealt with files pertaining to the ownership of the land.

He is alleged to have recommended 40 per cent allotment of flats in the society to civilians, the sources said. The flats were meant for war widows and heroes of Kargil war.
Last weekend, the CBI registered an FIR in the case, two months after initiating a preliminary enquiry. Apart from Chavan, who had to resign when the scam came to light, the FIR also names society's general secretary R C Thakur, retired Brigadier M M Wanchoo and Congress leader K L Gidwani and former principal secretary of Urban Development department Ramanand Tiwari.

Other persons include retired Lt General P K Rampal, Major Generals A R Kumar and T K Kaul, Subash Lala, the then Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Brig (retd) R C Sharma, Pradeep Vyas, the then collector of Mumbai and P V Deshmukh, the then deputy secretary of Urban Development department.

CBI had yesterday conducted searches at the premises of Thakur, Tiwari, Gidwani, Wanchoo and Vyas in various parts of Maharashtra and Bihar. Searches were also conducted at the office of Adarsh society at Colaba in south Mumbai.

Searches were on for the second day today at residence of Deshmukh and the society's office. "Similar to Thakur and Wanchoo, Deshmukh was also not present during the searches. We are likely to issue notices to them summoning them to remain present for questioning," a senior CBI official said.

The CBI has seized several documents from the society's office pertaining to minutes of meetings right from the year 2000, recommendations, NOCs and other approval letters obtained from various departments, the sources claimed.

The FIR has been filed under various sections of IPC including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery and showing forged document as genuine besides sections pertaining to Prevention of Corruption Act.