Adarsh issue politically used by BJP to malign Congress, says Ashok Chavan after HC order

Hours after the Bombay High Court set aside prosecution sanctions against him in Adarsh Housing Society scam on Friday, ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the entire issue was “politically used by BJP to malign Congress party” to win 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Ashok Chavan welcomed the decision of Bombay High Court and said, “The truth has ultimately prevailed, we always had full faith in the country’s judiciary.”

Earlier in the day, the Bombay High Court had "quashed and set aside" Maharashtra Governor’s order to prosecute former CM and Congress leader Chavan in the alleged Adarsh Housing Society scam.

These issues were politically used around 2014 by BJP to malign the Congress party: Ashok Chavan,Congress after getting relief in Adarsh scam case pic.twitter.com/pYD6h9xLSR

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017

In its order, the High Court said, “The agency (CBI) failed to present any fresh material capable of being converted into evidence that can be substantiated at the time of trial. Therefore, in the absence of fresh material, the sanction cannot be sustained, and is quashed and set aside.”

The court was hearing a petition filed by Chavan challenging a decision of Governor Rao granting sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute him in the Adarsh housing society scam.

Chavan is among 14 retired and serving defence personnel, bureaucrats and politicians named as accused in the scam.

The CBI has accused Chavan of approving additional floor space index (FSI) for the Adarsh society in posh South Mumbai, and accepting two flats for his relatives in return when he was the chief minister.

This was the second blow to CBI after a special court on Thursday acquitted former Telecom Minister A Raja and other accused in multi crore 2G spectrum allocation scam that the agency claimed to have taken place during UPA government.

The court in its verdict raised questions on CBI’s credibility and said the premier investigating agency filed “well-choreographed” charge sheet and “recorded false statements.”

The court said, a huge scam was created by “artfully arranging a few selected facts” but in reality there was “no scam.”

After the special court’s verdict, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the 2G scam was BJP’s propaganda against Congress without any foundation.