Adarsh Society scam: Key players

A high-rise complex close to defence land in Mumbai's upmarket Cuff Parade is at the centre of a major controversy.

The 31-storey building saw politicians, bureaucrats and army officers grabbing houses in Mumbai's prized Colaba for throwaway prices. The building was originally meant to be reserved largely for war widows and veterans.

Many flat-owners in Adarsh Society own property in other parts of the city - that should have disqualified them from being considered for allotments here. In documents submitted by politicians to get flats in Adarsh housing society, many showed their monthly income as Rs 20,000 or even less.

Nov 01, 2010 16:52 IST

A high-rise complex close to defence land in Mumbai's upmarket Cuff Parade is at the centre of a major controversy after the 31-storey building saw politicians, bureaucrats and army officers accused of grabbing houses at throwaway prices. The building was originally meant to be reserved largely for war widows and veterans.

Many flat-owners in Adarsh Society reportedly own property in other parts of the city - that should have disqualified them from being considered for allotments here.

In documents submitted by politicians to get flats in Adarsh housing society, many showed their monthly income as Rs 20,000 or even less.

A complaint filed by a senior naval officer alleged that a collusion between politicians and defence officials deprived war widows and military veterans of the land. The complaint said flats were not given to those it was originally meant for but to politicians, their family members, defence top brass and top bureaucrats of Maharashtra.
When the allegations came to light, inquiries by the CBI, the Army and the Environment Ministry were set up and investigations are on. Here's a look at some of the key players in this land scam.
First, and most shockingly, early investigations threw up the name of Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. To his embarrassment, one of the flats in Adarsh society was believed to be allotted to a woman whose name matches that of his mother-in-law, Bhagwati Manoharlal Sharma.

While Chavan refrained from commenting on the issue for the first few days, he admitted at a press briefing on October 29, that distant relatives of his owned flats in the society and that they were ready to give up the properties. However, he insisted that he had not abused his position and that allegations of bending rules to help accommodate his friends and family were politically motivated. Soon after the press conference, Chavan was summoned to New Delhi by the Congress high command.
In the Capital, Chavan met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister AK Antony. There were loud whispers in the corridors that he could well lose the Chief Minister's post.
A two-member inquiry committee has been set up comprising Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister AK Antony to look into the various facets of the scam. Much will hinge on the committee's report.

While Chavan's fate hangs in balance, the names of three other former Maharashtra Chief Ministers' too have come up. Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Narayan Rane are also under the scanner. There are allegations that they not just gave clearance to the controversial building, but also benefited from the allotments.
Amol V Kharbhari, Kiran Bhadange and Uttam Ghakare, all associates of Vilasrao Deshmukh, figure on the list of 104 allottees that own flats in the complex.
Vilasrao Deshmukh, a two-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and now the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, has denied all charges. He has instead passed the buck on to Ashok Chavan, saying that the discrepancies surfaced after Chavan became Chief Minister.

The involvement of Narayan Rane and Sushil Kumar Shinde is being looked into as both had signed papers of clearance to the society during their tenures. Their relatives and close associates too reportedly own flats in the complex.
Politicians across party lines seem to have managed to get flats in the building. Conspicuous by sheer consumption is local Congressman Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, also the president and one of the promoters of the Adarsh Housing society. His family members own four flats in the building.
According to sources, the list of allottees includes Maharashtra Energy Minister Ajit Pawar's associates, Krishnarao Bhegade and Shivajirao Kale. Home Minister RR Patil's associate Chandrashekhar Gaikwad, Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil's relative, Aditya Patil, Food and Civil Supplies minister Anil Deshmukh's associate Mukundrao Mankar and Revenue minister Patangrao Kadam's associate, Balasahib Sawant have also reportedly been allotted flats in the Adarsh society.
As investigations proceed, what has shocked the nation most are the names of former Army Generals, including Army Chiefs, coming to the fore. The matter has become so serious that it has forced Defence Minister AK Antony to issue a clarification as it could tar the Army's top brass.
Former Army Chief Generals NC Vij and Deepak Kapoor and former Navy Chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh all own flats at the housing complex. The Army will probe if the Generals helped in getting permits for the society and also how the Generals could afford flats that cost more than Rs 75 lakh.

But as the pressure has built up, Gen NC Vij (retd) told NDTV that he and all others were ready to give up their flats. Sources say the Army is also probing four successive General Officers Commanding (GOCs) of Maharashtra and Gujarat area, all of whom were reportedly allotted flats in the Adarsh Society. The Army has ordered a formal inquiry at the headquarters level into the allotments.
Prominent amongst them is Major General (retired) TK Kaul who was in Mumbai as a sub-area commander when the files were initiated in 2003. After his NDC Course in Delhi, Kaul came back as Area Commander of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Kaul was also an office-bearer in the Adarsh Housing Society. The three other senior generals whose role is being investigated are: Maj-Gen R K Hooda, who was the commanding officer till July, and is in Delhi now, Lt-Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh and Maj-Gen (retd) V S Yadav.
The name of Kargil martyrs was repeatedly used to wrangle benefits for the construction of the Adarsh society building. But what started as a defence initiative took a completely different route while it was in the making. Ashok Chavan, however, said that the housing society was never meant for Kargil martyrs' and even in the original list only three of the names were those of martyrs.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari has upped the ante against Ashok Chavan and said the incident has exposed the Congress party. Gadkari added that his party would take up the issue in the upcoming session of Parliament.