After being reprimanded by the Bombay High Court a few days ago, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a First Information Report (FIR) in the Adarsh matter. “We have filed a case against 13 accused,” CBI Joint Director Rishi Raj Singh told journalists here.
The CBI had been conducting a preliminary inquiry, based on the Defence Ministry's complaint, about the ownership of the plot of land where the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society building came up.
CBI officials said the FIR was registered against unknown persons and persons belonging to the Army, the Defence Estate Office, Government of Maharashtra and public servants. The investigating agency submitted a copy of the FIR in the special CBI court here.
Of the 13 accused, the CBI named only four names in front of the journalists — chief promoter of the Adarsh Society R.C. Thakur; the former Member of Legislative Assembly Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, Brig (retd.) M.M. Wanchu, and the then Collector of Mumbai, Pradeep Vyas.
Officials said the case was registered under Section 120(b) read with Sections 420, 468, 471 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The sections are related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.
The CBI officials maintained secrecy about the FIR and refused to divulge details.
Around 10 days ago, the Bombay High Court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition, had reprimanded the investigating agency for not filing an FIR. It had directed the CBI to finish the preliminary inquiry within two weeks and decide if it wanted to file an FIR.
The court is to hear the petition on February 1, wherein the investigating agency is expected to furnish details of the inquiry.
The petitioners had submitted to the court that the Adarsh probe be handed over to the CBI and the agency be ordered to file an FIR immediately.
