The Bombay High Court today asked CBI and Maharashtra Police to coordinate the probe into Adarsh Housing Society scam.
A division bench of justices A M Khanwilkar and A P Bhangale also asked the State to provide all infrastructure, and extend necessary cooperation to CBI.
Social activist Simpreet Singh filed a PIL, saying that since both CBI and State police were involved in the probe, it may create issues of jurisdiction “which might hamper the probe.”
The PIL demands that entire probe be handed to CBI, because the State’s Anti-Corruption Bureau “could come under pressure” since political big-wigs are involved in the scam.
But today Additional Solicitor General Darius Khambata, representing CBI, told the court that the agency had already started the probe following a reference from the defence ministry and “it is not limited to ownership of the land.”
The land, on which the controversial buildings stands, allegedly belonged to the army, and the society initially promised to provide flats to widows of Kargil martyrs.
Situated in upscale south Mumbai, it allegedly violated restrictions on construction in coastal area.
CBI also handed its “preliminary investigation register” to court.
The court said that the agency must be given some time to probe further, and asked both the state and agency to “formulate a mechanism” for conducting probe.
Hearing has been adjourned till December 20.
