CBI likely to file case in Adarsh Housing scam today

NEW DELHI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to file a case in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam today.

A CBI spokesman said a letter from Defence Ministry asking the agency to conduct the probe has been received.

“CBI is in process of collection of relevant records and documents and “no case has been registered as yet”, he added.

CBI officials in Mumbai said a team would be going to Delhi head office on Friday for discussion on Adarsh scam. “Only after discussion, further course of action will be decided,” the officials said.

Defence Minister A K Antony had earlier on Tuesday recommended a CBI probe to fix responsibility of the armed forces and defence estates officers in the Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai.

He also asked the CBI to look into the circumstances under which a No Objection Certificate was issued to the Adarsh Housing Society to construct the 31-storey building on a piece of land, which was in the “de facto” possession of the Army.

The probe agency will also investigate into the commitments made for allotment of flats in the 104-apartment society for Kargil widows and martyrs’ families.

The scam came to light after Western Naval Commander Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin shot off a letter to the Army headquarters and the Defence Ministry seeking action against the building for posing a security threat to military installations.

The 6490-square meter land was within the security perimeter of the naval base in the upscale Colaba region of south Mumbai, Vice Admiral Bhasin had noted in his letter.

However, it also came to light that former Army Chiefs General Deepak Kapoor and General N C Vij, apart from former Navy Chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh too had flats allotted in their name in the housing society that had promised to provision apartments for families of Kargil martyrs. (ANI)