Adarsh scam: Deshmukh bent rules for ex-army chiefs

MUMBAI, June 18 (Agencies): In a sensational disclosure, former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshkmukh said that he had bent the rules to give memberships to former army chiefs -- General Deepak Kapoor and General NC Vij in Mumbai’s controversial Adarsh Housing Society. “I approved the proposal to relax the domicile norms/conditions in case of Generals Vij and Kapoor. This decision was fully justified and fitting, considering their eminence and their distinguished service to the nation,” Deshmukh said in a 15-page affidavit filed before the two-member inquiry panel headed by retired Bombay High Court judge J A Patil.
According to a Times Now report, this move by the former chief minister enabled the two generals to attain membership in the society and qualified them for a flat in the complex. In the affidavit filed, Deshkmukh stated that the plot on which the Adarsh society was built belonged to the state government as per records and was not reserved for defence personnel or Kargil war heroes.
“The records maintained with the office of the collector of Mumbai clearly show that the land belonged to the state government. The ownership of the land was never an issue at any stage so far as I am concerned,” Deshmukh, who is now the Union minister for Rural Development, said in his affidavit.
Confirming that the Colaba plot on which the Adarsh housing society had come up was never reserved for defence personnel and Kargil war heroes, Deshkmukh told Timesnow that “neither under the development plan for Greater Mumbai, nor under any of the policies of the Maharashtra government, was the land allotted to defence personnel.” Stating that he had little personal recollection of the Adarsh file cleared 6-11 years ago, Deshmukh said the approval of the said file was based on scrutiny by “experienced administrators”. It was only after they had put their views/comment/remarks/observation that the file was put forth to the CMO. Besides, the file was scrutinised by the secretariat before he approved it.
The former chief minister reportedly put the onus for allotment of land for the Adarsh housing society on the revenue department and collector of Mumbai. In the affidavit filed on Friday, Deshmukh dealt with many questions regarding grant of clearances to the Adarsh housing society. On allegations that he had authorised reduction in width of road next to the housing society, he clarified that Captain Prakash Pethe Marg was initially proposed as approach to sea links Colaba-Uran and Nava-Sheva.
However, after the Colaba-Uran proposal was scrapped and defence constructed high-rise buildings in the area, a wide road was not required. Subsequently, the width of the road was reduced as per the procedure prescribed by Section 37 or the MRTP.
He further said the deletion of reservation on the plot reserved for the BEST and its conversion to residential purposes for allotment to Adarsh was in accordance with law and proper. This was done following the due process of law. Public interest and that of the BEST were also duly protected, Deshmukh said, adding that he had acted in bonafide interest.
“Neither was any loss caused to exchequer nor any favour shown to Adarsh society . Adarsh in fact paid Rs 6.40 crore for acquiring rights in respect of the said plot,” Deshmukh affirmed. Deshmukh also denied that he had cleared the Adarsh file on the last day in office as Maharashtra chief minister, saying that the papers did not mention the date of clearance. “The record merely reflects the date on which the file left my office. Date of grant of concurrence and the date of despatch of an approved file are not one and the same,” he pointed out adding that he could not recollect the timing of his approval as it had happened eight years ago.



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