By IANS,
Mumbai : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday arrested three people in connection with the Adarsh Housing Society scam, over a week after being rapped by the Bombay High Court, officials said.
“CBI has arrested (retired defence estates officer) R.C. Thakur, retired brigadier M.M. Wanchoo and (former deputy secretary of state urban development department) P.V. Deshmukh (in connection with the Adarsh scam),” a CBI official said.
“Another accused (Kanhaiyalal) Gidwani is already in judicial custody in another matter, hence a call on him will be taken as per rules,” the official added.
The scam involves a prime plot in south Mumbai’s Colaba neighbourhood where a 31-storey building was constructed by the society.
At least three more arrests in connection with the scam are likely soon, sources said.
The Bombay High Court had March 12 rapped CBI for not initiating action against government officials involved in the Adarsh society scam.
A division bench of the Bombay High Court had Feb 28 also castigated the Enforcement Directorate for “serious lapse” in failing to initiate investigations against some Adarsh society members allegedly involved in money-laundering.
The scam claimed the job of former chief minister Ashok Chavan after allegations surfaced of collusion between bureaucrats and politicians to corner flats in the building. The flats were originally meant for widows and heroes of the 1999 Kargil conflict.
Another former chief minister, Vilasraso Dekshmukh, has also been accused of allotting flats meant for war veterans to their relatives. Deshmukh is currently the science and technology minister at the centre.
The CBI has filed an FIR against 15 people in the case. The chargesheet in the case is, however, pending.