Shinde quizzed on Adarsh scam

As part of its probe into the Adarsh housing society scam, the CBI today questioned former Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who, however, has not been named as an accused in the case.

As part of its probe into the Adarsh housing society scam, the CBI on Sunday questioned former Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who, however, has not been named as an accused in the case.

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This came days after the Bombay high court sought a progress report from the agency on the issue.

The CBI, which is supposed to submit the report before the court on Tuesday, sent a three-member team to New Delhi. The team questioned Shinde, who is union power minister now, for about two hours at his official residence.

"The questioning was primarily over the land allotment to the Adarsh society when Shinde was chief minister of Maharashtra during 2003-04," a source said.

Shinde was heading the Maharashtra government when the files related to the high-rise Adarsh building, in upscale Colaba, were processed. The team also questioned him over the membership of 41 civilians in the society, which was originally meant for the kin of Kargil war martyrs and those injured in the war.

CBI sources said the agency was trying to build a case against former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and officials named in the FIR.

Shinde, in an affidavit filed before the Adarsh Commission in May, had said he did not manipulate any records or violate the code of conduct in granting sanctions to the society. He had also said the land in question belonged to the state government and was at no point exclusively reserved for the society.

In January this year, the CBI registered a case of criminal conspiracy, fraud and misuse of official powers against 13 persons including Chavan, some retired army officials and government functionaries. Chavan was chief minister when the scam broke out and he had to resign.