A Division Bench of Bombay High Court headed by Justice Ranjit More and Justice R.G. Ketkar directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Union of India to demolish the The Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society building, but stayed the same for 12 weeks.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry had also filed a petition seeking implementation of Environment Ministry’s demolition order.
The Environment Ministry had on January 16, 2011 directed the Society to demolish within three months the “unauthorised” 31-storey building in South Mumbai for violating coastal regulations.
The court ordered the State government and Union of India to consider initiating appropriate civil/criminal proceedings against the bureaucrats, ministers and politicians concerned in accordance with law, if not already done for committing various offences in acquiring the subject plot as also misuse/ and or abuse of powers.
The court also told the State and the Union to consider initiating departmental proceedings in accordance with law against the bureaucrats. The disciplinary authorities shall take the decision in accordance with law.
The Bench directed the State government to resume the CST plot adjacent to the Society within four weeks from Friday.
The high-rise meant to house families of Kargil martyrs came under the scanner following reports that flats were doled out to politicians, top defence personnel including two former Army chiefs and bureaucrats as well as their relatives. According to CBI, Chavan had approved additional floor space in Adarsh in exchange for flats for his relatives in Adarsh – a society meant for war veterans.