Adarsh scam: Ashok Chavan shifts blame on predecessor
June 30th, 2012 - 6:33 pm ICT by IANS
Mumbai, June 30 (IANS) Deposing before the two-member commission investigating the Adarsh housing scam, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan Saturday shifted the blame on his predecessor Vilasrao Deshmukh and other senior bureaucrats.
Chavan claimed that he cleared relevant documents as senior bureaucrats had already checked them. He added that a revenue minister is often guided by the principal secretary, who first studies all proposals.
He also passed the buck to the finance ministry, stating that the chief minister has to make a reference to the finance department if a said proposal does not get a nod from the cabinet or the chief minister’s office.
The two-member judicial commission comprising former judge, Justice J.A. Patil and former state chief secretary P. Subrahmanyam, had earlier this week questioned another former Maharashtra chief minister and now Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and another former chief minister and now the Union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh as a witness.
Chavan had to step down as chief minister after the scam surfaced in 2010. He was the revenue minister during Deshmukh’s first stint as Maharashtra chief minister between 1999 and 2003 during which permissions were granted for the construction of the Adarsh society building.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has, in its chargesheet, named Chavan as one of the 14 accused in the scam.
Deshmukh had, earlier this week, passed the buck to Chavan, who was then the revenue minister and the then finance minister Jayant Patil, stating that he (Deshmukh) had signed the files related to Adarsh housing society only after it was cleared by them.
The Adarsh scam involves a prime plot in South Mumbai’s Colaba on which a 31-storey building was constructed by the society.
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- Signed files on officials' advice, Deshmukh tells Adarsh panel - Jun 26, 2012
- Adarsh panel questions Sushil Kumar Shinde - Jun 25, 2012
- Ashok Chavan agrees to appear before Adarsh panel - May 24, 2012
- Ex-army chief did not see Adarsh a security threat - Jul 20, 2012
- Adarsh probe panel summons Deshmukh, Shinde - May 23, 2012
- Adarsh probe: Two former chief ministers summoned - May 11, 2011
- Ashok Chavan shifts Adarsh blame to Deshmukh - Jun 20, 2011
- Adarsh scam: Shinde summoned as witness - May 02, 2011
- Adarsh scam: Court rejects bail plea of 9 accused - Apr 21, 2012
- Chavan grabbed over six flats in Adarsh: BJP secretary - Apr 25, 2012
- Adarsh society case: Interim probe report submitted - Apr 13, 2012
- Ashok Chavan seeks exemption from appearance before Adarsh panel - May 22, 2012
- Adarsh scam: Court rejects bail plea of accused (Lead) - Apr 21, 2012
Tags: central bureau of investigation, chavan, chief secretary, colaba, finance department, finance ministry, housing society, judicial commission, maharashtra chief minister, member commission, power minister, prime plot, principal secretary, revenue minister, south mumbai, state chief, sushil kumar, sushil kumar shinde, technology minister, vilasrao deshmukh