Mumbai: Ashok Chavan, who was the Revenue
Minister from 1999-2003 when land was allotted to the Adarsh
Housing Society, on Monday said that the plot was sanctioned by
then Chief Minister and he had no role to play in it.
Without naming Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chavan, who stepped
down as Chief Minister last year following controversy over
Adarsh, told the Commission probing alleged irregularities
into the scam that for allotment of plot for value exceeding
Rs 25 lakh and plots situated in Pune, Mumbai and suburbs, the
decision for allotment is of the Chief Minister.
Deshmukh, who filed an affidavit before Adarsh Commission
on June 17, had put the onus on the Revenue department and the
Mumbai Collector saying that while allotting land to Adarsh
Society he had acted on the proposal sent by them.
Chavan has been named among the 14 accused by CBI in its
probe into the scam. He is accused of recommending 40 per cent
allotment of flats in Adarsh Society, originally meant for
Kargil war widows, to civilians. Chavan is also facing
allegation that his relatives got flats in the society.
Countering the allegations, Chavan said, "There was no
question of my suggestion that civilian members be included
in the Society and any suggestion that this was discussed with
me or that I had suggested or directed or decided on the same
is false and denied."
"In the meeting I have asked the department only to look
into the issue relating to the allotment of the land and call
for the required information in the respect thereof. No
decision was taken at the meeting".
PTI
