CBI to prosecute Ashok Chavan for Adarsh scam

Maharashtra: The Maharashtra Governor is again being approached by the CBI for seeking permission to prosecute the former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who is linked with the Adarsh Housing Society corruption case.

CBI got "fresh evidence" against Chavan in the following case and approached Governor Vidyasagar Rao for the same. Earlier CBI had to close the case in December 2013 since the former Governor K Sankaranarayan refused for any further actions on the Adarsh Housing Scam.

"The BJP Government is using CBI for political vendetta. We will make our next move considering legal recourse available," Chavan said.

Soon after the scam in 2010, Chavan had to resign. He was among those 12 people who were charge-sheeted by the agency with the case. CBI also supposed that Chavan suggested the inclusion of Civil members which were basically meant for the war veterans and defence personnel. CBI initially approached a trial court for dropping Chavan's name as an accused on the ground that the governor refused to sanction the prosecution. But after the rejection from the court, the agency moved to Bombay High Court.

The petition was dismissed by CBI also observing that the Governor had refused the sanction for prosecution for conspiracy charges under the Indian Penal Code but said he can still be prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The High Court said the charge sheet not only alleges conspiracy but it also refers to individual acts by Chavan when he was the Revenue Minister and later the Chief Minister.

"Charges levelled against Chavan for the alleged individual acts cannot go away only because the Governor has refused to grant sanction for prosecuting him for conspiracy and cheating," Justice M L Tahaliyani said.(IANS)