Adarsh scam: Ex-civic chief in dock

Civic commissioner Subodh Kumar’s deposition before the Adarsh Inquiry Commission has raised questions over former municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak’s interpretation of rules, while allowing Adarsh housing society to raise a the height of the building.

Civic commissioner Subodh Kumar’s deposition before the Adarsh Inquiry Commission has raised questions over former municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak’s interpretation of rules, while allowing Adarsh housing society to raise a the height of the building.

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“The municipal commissioner must have recommendations of the High Rise Committee before taking a decision,” Kumar said on Monday.

Kumar, in his affidavit in July, said that though the committee had capped the height of the building at 97.6m, Phatak allowed it to increase to 103.4m at the behest of society members.

“If the High Rise Committee does not approve a particular height, the applicant can make a revised application,” Kumar said. However, no revised application was filed in this case and Phatak himself cleared the increase.

“The committee is an advisory body. The final decision is taken by the commissioner. Whatever I have done is within the ambit of law," Phatak said. He said his son had applied for membership in 2003, and received allotment in 2004, when he was not the BMC commissioner.