HC fires multiple salvos to Adarsh Society

The Bombay High Court today asked the controversial Adarsh Housing Society to submit a list of its original members, as well as that of existing members.

The Bombay High Court today asked the controversial Adarsh Housing Society to submit a list of its original members, as well as that of existing members. Hearing the petition filed by the Society challenging cut-off of water and power supply, as well as cancellation of occupation certificate, the High Court also asked when the plot was given up by the Defence Ministry.

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The 31-storey building, in upscale South Mumbai, became the centre of controversy after newspapers reported that it stood on defence land, in violation of CRZ regulations, and was originally meant for relatives of Kargil war martyrs. "There is a clear admission in your letter of proposal seeking allotment of plot in 1999 that land was in the possession of the armed forces. We want to know when the armed forces handed it over to state," the judges said.

The Division Bench of Justices B H Marlapalle and U D Salvi also asked the Society to produce terms and conditions of allotment of land by the state government in January 2003. The Division Bench also sought to know whether permissions were taken when the height of the building was increased. "We have heard that subsequently height was changed. We want to know whether permissions were obtained for it," it said.