Introduction

The Adarsh Housing Society is a posh, 31 storey building constructed on prime real estate in
Colaba, Mumbai, for the welfare of war widows and personnel of Indias Ministry of Defence.
Over a period of several years, politicians, bureaucrats and military officers allegedly conspired
to bend several rules concerning land ownership, zoning, floor space index and membership get
themselves flats allotted in this cooperative society at below-market rates.[1][2]
The scam was unearthed in November 2010 which forced the then Chief Minister of
Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan, to resign.[3]
In 2011, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said, "The episode of
Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society reveals how a group of select officials, placed in key
posts, could subvert rules and regulations in order to grab prime government land - a public
property - for personal benefit."[4]
In January 2011, the Maharashtra government set up a two-member judicial commission to
inquire into the matter. The commission was headed by retired High Court judge Justice J A
Patil, with N N Kumbhar acting as member secretary. After deposing 182 witnesses over 2 years,
the commission submitted its final report in April 2013 to the Maharashtra government. The
report highlighted 25 illegal allotments, including 22 purchases made by proxy.[5] The report also
indicted four former chief ministers of Maharashtra: Ashok Chavan, Vilasrao Deshmukh,
Sushilkumar Shinde and Shivajirao Nilangekar Patil, 2 former urban development ministers:
Rajesh Tope and Sunil Tatkare and 12 top bureaucrats for various illegal acts. The allottees
included Devyani Khankhoje.[6][7]
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement
Directorate (ED) are currently investigating allegations that three former chief ministers of
Maharashtra - Sushilkumar Shinde, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Ashok Chavan - were involved in
the scam.

What the adarsh cam about..

Despite repeated statements by outgoing Chief Minister Ashok Chavan that the land
which houses the controversial 31-storey Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society
belongs to the Maharashtra government, RTI activists have revealed that the Army
had been in de facto possession of the 6,490-sq mt prime land for over 60 years
before the Adarsh Society highrise came up there in 2003.

The society, originally meant to be a six-storey structure to house Kargil war heroes
and war widows, was converted into a 100-metre-tall building. Retired brigadier M W
Wanchu, the president of the society, argued that it was not a defence land.

The highrise was built subject to the condition that it would house war veterans, but
now has 103 members, which include relatives of Chavan. However, the outgoing
chief minister clarified that for him family is restricted to his wife and two
daughters. Chavans late mother-in-law Bhagwati Manoharlal Sharma, relatives
Seema Sharma and Madanlal Sharma also figured in the list. Bhagwati Manoharlal
Sharma, 77, died at Varsha, the chief ministers official residence, in July. The two
relatives have submitted letters of withdrawal of their membership.

Former Army chiefs Generals Deepak Kapoor and N C Vij and former Navy chief
Admiral Madhavendra Singh and Vice-Chief Gen Shantanu Choudhary also got flats
in the society. They have offered to surrender their flats on the grounds that they
did not know the land was meant for the widows of Kargil war heroes. Former chief
secretary D K Sankarans son, Sanjoy, is also among the allottees. The list also
includes the names of former Union environment minister Suresh Prabhu,
Nationalist Congress Party MLC Jitendra Avhad, Congress leader Kanhaiyalal Gidwani
and his two sons, a close aide of a senior Maharashtra minister, the children of
some bureaucrats, serving bureaucrats, Seema Vyas and Idzes Kundan, and an
individual by the name of S B Chavan. Ashok Chavans late father and former home
and defence minister was also S B Chavan.

According to the present market rate in the Colaba area, an average two-to threebedroom-hall-kitchen (BHK) flat in Adarsh society could cost between Rs 6 crore and
Rs 8.5 crore. However, members of the society paid Rs 60-85 lakh for each flat.

The Western Naval Command had objected to the construction of the society as it
also violates the stringent Mumbai Coastal Regulation Zone norms.

The CBI is already investigating how the prime land in Mumbai, which was marked
for Kargil war widows and war veterans, was given to VIPs instead. The CBI enquiry
was sought by the present Army chief to clear the names of defence service officers
allegedly implicated in it. Defence Minister A K Antony had to agree to the CBI
enquiry. Most of the files pertaining to the scam are now in CBIs possession. The
Union environment ministry has also raised a red flag, saying it did not grant
clearance to the society.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has scrapped the

occupation certificate in the wake of the controversy. Subsequently, BrihanMumbai
Electric Supply & Undertaking has disconnected power supply to the society.
Members plan to approach the court of law against these actions.

People involved
Former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
Former State Chief Secretary D K Shankaran.
Former principal secretary to the CM Subhash Lalla.
Former urban development secretary Ramanand Tiwary.
Former Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Jayaraj Phatak.
Former BEST General Manager Uttam Khobragade.
Former Transport Secretary Shivajirao Deshmukh.
Former Education Director J M Abhyankar.
Political party and names used .
Suresh Prabhu, Shiv Sena (own name)
Pradeep Vyas, ex-collector, Mumbai ( in the name of his wife and
fellow IAS officer Seema Vyas)
Jitender Awhad, NCP (own name)
Indris Kundan, ex-collector, Mumbai (own name)
Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, Congress (along with 2 sons, Kailash and Amit)
Uttam Khobragade, BEST GM (in the name of daughter, Devyani, an Indian Foreign
Service official)

When was the scam revealed

The 104 apartment Society got involved in a controversy after the Navy had raised
concerns over security as the building over-looked important military installations.
It was IBN7s special investigative report which exposed the corruption within the
government and the bureaucrats.
On November 10, 2010: Living up to its motto of Khabar Har Keemat Par, IBN7,
exposed the most sensational controversy the ADARSH SCAM

Outcome
Mumbai, Jan 16, (PTI):
More than 11 years after the Adarsh Housing Society approached the
government for a piece of land in upmarket Colaba, the Environment
Ministry today directed it to demolish the "unauthorised" building within
three months for ''violating coastal regulations".
Following is the chronology of events surrounding the scam-hit Adarsh Society:
July 1999- Adarsh society approaches government seeking plot of land in Colaba.
July 9, 1999 - Government Resolution (GR) allots plot to the society.
Oct 4, 2004 - Collector, Mumbai hands over possession of plot to the society.
Oct 27, 2009 - Western Naval Command seeks details of the society from deputy
registrar of co-operative.
Sept 16, 2010 - Adarsh society gets Occupation Certificate (OC) from MMRDA.
Oct 25, 2010 - Navy confirms that it has taken objection to Adarsh society on
security grounds.
Oct 28, 2010 - Media reports say the then Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan's motherin-law and another relative had flats in the society.
Oct 31, 2010 - Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) issues notice to
Adarsh seeking OC.
Nov 3, 2010 - MMRDA revokes Adarsh society OC. BEST cuts off power supply and
BMC cuts off water supply of society, Adarsh says it will move High Court.
Nov 9, 2010 - Ashok Chavan's resignation accepted.
Nov 11, 2010 - Prithviraj Chavan becomes new CM of Maharashtra.
Nov 22, 2010 - Adarsh moves High Court against revocation of OC and power and
water supply cut.
Dec 21, 2010 - HC says Adarsh a "clear cut case of manipulation".
Dec 23, 2010 - HC refuses interim relief to Adarsh adjourning hearing for one
month.
Jan 16, 2010 - Union Environment ministry recommends that Adarsh be demolished
within three months.

Punishment
NEW DELHI: An Army court of inquiry (CoI) has found two former Army chiefs, Gen
Deepak Kapoor and Gen N C Vij, and several other senior Army officers responsible
for the Adarsh housing society scam.
The CoI probing the scam, which was exposed by The Times of India, has said the
conduct of several top Army officersamong them the two ex-Army chiefs, four
lieutenant generals and three major generalswas "blame-worthy". This is the first
time that so many top Army officers have been indicted by an Army court.
Apart from Gen Kapoor and Gen Vij, the other officers blackballed by the CoI include
Lt Gen G S Sihota, Lt Gen P K Rampal, Lt Gen Shantanu Choudhry , Lt Gen Tejinder
Singh, Maj Gen Ram Kanwar Hooda, Maj Gen A R Kumar, Major Gen V S Yadav and
Maj Gen Tej Kishen Kaul.
The CoI report was recently submitted to the defence ministry. The Army has
recommended that the CBI should be asked to look into specific evidences
established by the CoI against the officers, most of whom are retired. Three serving
officers found "blame-worthy'" would face Army punishment, most likely
administrative action such as loss of seniority, sources said.
The possibility of a full-fledged court-martial is being ruled out for now. The Army
had constituted a three-member CoI in December last year in Pune, the
headquarters of Southern Army Command, in the wake of TOI's expose of senior
Army officers who overlooked objections or played along with the lead players of the
housing scam and received apartments in the upscale Mumbai complex.
The senior-most serving officer figuring in the list of those against whom prima facie
evidence has been found by the CoI is Major Gen Ram Kanwar Hooda, who was the
General Officer Commanding, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, until a few months
ago.
Gen Hooda owns at least one flat in Adarsh complex. The Army headquarters has

already taken him off the list of those to be considered for next rank. He is to retire
this month-end. He could also be summoned for further Army disciplinary action,
sources said.

Changes after the adarsh scam revealed

Brihan-Mumbai Electric Supply & Undertaking has disconnected power supply to the
society.
Builders community not entertained in most government departments
Projects worth crores of rupees were heldup
Small and large housing projects in the public-private sector have also been
delayed with permissions
Delays in these projects have created panic among the builders who have made
investments
Not a single file put up by builders seeking various concessions was cleared.