Mumbai:
A high-rise complex close to defence land in Mumbai's upmarket Cuff Parade is at the centre of a major controversy. A complaint filed by a senior naval officer alleges that a collusion between politicians and defence officials deprived war widows and military veterans of the land.
The matter is so serious that it has forced the Defence Minister to issue a clarification which could tar the Army's top brass.
"The government is examining this matter; we are taking it very seriously," Defence Minister AK Antony said.
The Western Naval Command has raised more concerns in a letter to the Maharashtra government. It alleges that the building is too close to Defence installations and also violates coastal regulation zone norms.
The high profile flat-owners of the Adarsh Housing Society, who are the alleged beneficiaries of the violations, include former Army chiefs General NC Vij and Deepak Kapoor, former Navy chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh, former Union minister Suresh Prabhu, and Congressman Kanhaiyalal Gidwani.
"Navy has already said so many times about not giving the No Objection Certificates (NOC) and occupation certificates to all the concerned departments of the state government," said Narendra Vispute, Assistant PRO, Defence.
"Our society has got all the clearances, we are a registered cooperative society land and the land belongs to the state government," said Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, Congressman and a flat-owner.
But the ownership of the land has also come under a cloud. The Western Naval Command alleges the plot belongs to the Army and was originally allotted in 2003.
Yet, in 2005, the state government staked claim to it.
The allegation is that this change in ownership made it easier to corner flats for politicians and senior Army officers.
The promoters of the society say this is a case of sour grapes - those who did not get flats in the building are now raising objections. They also say that they paid Rs 23 crore to the state government for the land.
It's a controversy which the Defence Ministry needs to get to the bottom of before it escalates any further.