Mumbai:
Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan has suspended state Information Commissioner Ramanand Tiwari, who is one of the tainted former bureaucrats in the Adarsh housing society scam.
This is perhaps only the second time in India that a state Information Commissioner has been suspended.
Tiwari was under pressure from the state government to quit as Information Commissioner, but he had refused and instead sent across a leave application to the Governor, who rejected it.
Finally, the state Cabinet asked the Governor to act and get him removed. The Governor then asked for a Supreme Court inquiry against Tiwari.
Pending the outcome of the inquiry, the Governor has suspended him.
As Urban Development Secretary, Tiwari had given major clearances to Adarsh society which includes raise in Floor Space Index and building rights. His son Onkar later got a flat in Adarsh.
The department had also given the society its controversial green clearance.