Adarsh scam: Ex-CM points fingers at Shinde

Former chief minister Shivajirao Nilangekar-Patil has pointed fingers at the then chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde on the allotment of the Colaba plot to the controversial Adarsh housing society.

Former chief minister Shivajirao Nilangekar-Patil has pointed fingers at the then chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde on the allotment of the Colaba plot to the controversial Adarsh housing society.

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Nilangekar-Patil was revenue minister while Shinde was the chief minister when the society was allotted the plot on which the army has now staked its claim. Deposing before the two-member commission set up to probe the Adarsh scam on Monday, Nilangekar-Patil, without naming Shinde, said the latter had approved the allotment. “In Mumbai city where the value of the government land applied for is more than Rs. 25 lakh, the file is compulsorily sent to the chief minister for approval,” he told the commission. He said even the land valuation worth Rs. 10.19 crore was approved by Shinde. Nilangekar-Patil was revenue minister from January 25, 2003 to July 06, 2004.

Nilangekar-Patil agreed that he had expedited the matter since it was requested by Kanh-aiyalal Gidwani (one of the promoters of the society) who happened to be a MLC.