Former CM Shinde gets CBI clean chit in Adarsh scam

The CBI has given a clean chit to Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, stating that it found no evidence to suggest he abused his position and extended undue benefit to a retired army officer to become a member of the scam-hit Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society. HT reports.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has given a clean chit to Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde stating that it found no evidence to suggest he abused his position and extended undue benefit to a retired army officer to become a member of the scam-hit Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society at Cuffe Parade.

“There is no evidence... to suggest that Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde abused his position as a public servant for the benefit of someone from Khankhoje family in connivance with the office bearers of Adarsh Society,” stated the affidavit filed by K Babu, investigating officer of Adarsh Housing Society scam.

The affidavit was filed before the Bombay high court in response to a plea by a Thane resident Pravin Wategaonkar, who had claimed that deposition of some witnesses before the state-appointed Adarsh inquiry commission revealed complicity of Shinde in the scam.

Wategaonkar had sought directions to add Shinde as an accused in the case by also alleging that Shinde’s acts led to induction of 51 additional members in the list of allottees of flats in the controversial housing society. He alleged benami transaction in respect of the flats.

The CBI officer, however, stated that the list of 71 members of the scam-hit society was approved in July and August 2004 when late Vilasrao Deshmukh was at the helm of affairs in Maharashtra.