State govt won’t ask Centre to stop CBI probe in Adarsh: CM

A day after the state-appointed judicial commission report on the Adarsh scam ruled that the Cuffe Parade plot belonged to the state, and not the army, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan declared that his government won’t appeal to the Centre to withdraw the CBI probe in to the Adarsh case.

A day after the state-appointed judicial commission report on the Adarsh scam ruled that the Cuffe Parade plot belonged to the state, and not the army, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan declared that his government won’t appeal to the Centre to withdraw the CBI probe in to the Adarsh case.

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“We are not making any appeal to the Centre, asking them to withdraw the CBI inquiry on the basis of the Adarsh report that ruled in favour of the state,” Chavan told HT.

There had been speculation about the state making such a representation to the Centre after the two-member commission’s report was tabled in the state legislature on Tuesday.

Chavan said the decision to not accept the judicial panel’s findings on ownership of the plot, on which the 31-storey tower stands, would have to be taken by the defence ministry.

“The CBI probe was initially set up over land ownership, but they are now investigating corruption charges and it is being monitored by the high court. The investigation will go on,” said the CM.

Former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, whose name has cropped up in the scam, said the Centre should not proceed with the CBI probe since it has been proved that the land belongs to the state.