By IANS,
Mumbai : The controversial Adarsh Housing Society Wednesday got a reprieve as the Bombay High Court posted to April 27 the hearing on a petition challenging the building’s demolition.
A division bench comprising Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R.G. Ketkar ruled that it would first hear the Adarsh Society and the environment and forests ministry before passing a “drastic order” like permitting demolition of the 31-story building, situated in the upmarket Colaba.
“Anything which is illegal needs to be demolished, we agree with this. But at this stage, we would like to hear the arguments (of both sides) to satisfy our judicial conscience before passing any order,” the judges remarked, terming the demolition as “a drastic step”.
Additional Solicitor General D. Khambata, representing the environment ministry, argued before the court that the Adarsh Society had failed to take necessary permissions and clearances before starting construction of the building in 2003.
“The building is illegal and needs to be demolished,” he contended.
The judges also granted liberty to the society to rush to the court in case of any drastic measures initiated by the ministry.
The court’s ruling came in a petition filed by the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society, challenging a demolition order passed by the ministry in January, just months after the scam was exposed.
Terming the building as “unauthorised”, the environment ministry had accused the Adarsh Society of having violated several norms, but granted three months’ time for appeal.
The Adarsh Society has been under a cloud for allegedly flouting norms and conditions of various local, state and central government departments.
Top politicians, bureaucrats and retired defence officials are accused of cornering the prime flats. The scam cost Ashok Chavan the chief minister’s job last November.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a detailed probe into the building scam, as is a separate two-member commission appointed by the Maharashtra government.