Deshmukh named in another alleged land scam

Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) Central Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has been named in another land scam with a fresh complaint lodged before the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau, an activist said Monday.

In a complaint filed by Simpreet Singh and other activists against Deshmukh and senior bureaucrats, it was alleged that they connived to grab land reserved for dishoused persons and handed it to a society of Bombay High Court judges.

"We have today lodged a complaint with ACT demanding a first information report (FIR) against the politicians, bureaucrats and judges under the Prevention of Corruption Act," Singh, who had also filed the complaint in the Adarsh Society scam, told IANS.

He said named in the complaint are then Maharashtra chief minister Deshmukh, bureaucrats C.S. Sangeetrao, S.S. Zende, R.C. Joshi and Ramanand Tiwari.

The complaint has also named members of the Nyaysagar Co-operative Housing Society which includes Justice Vijay Chaganlalji Daga, Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar, Justice S. Radhakrishnan, Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, Justice Prasankumar Vinayak Kakde, Justice Rajender Lodha, Justice G.D. Patil, Justice H. E. Rebello, Justice D.K. Deshmukh, Justice D.B. Bhosale, Justice D.G. Karnik and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

Elaborating on the alleged conspiracy, Singh said that in 2001, many Bombay High Court judges formed the Nyaysagar CHS and approached Deshmukh for allotment of government land in Bandra East.

"They identified (land) that was reserved for Housing the Dishoused and thus could not be allotted to them," Singh said.

However, Deshmukh allegedly ordered his subordinates, to by-pass the technicality. This would enable the land to be allotted to the judges society, Singh pointed out.

He further claimed that the letter of intent for the land was issued to the society even before a final decision to allot the land was taken.

"The possession of the land was given to the Nyaysagar Society on 26.3.2003 though the final decision of allotting the plot to the society was taken much later, on 22.6.2004," Singh said.

He added that the notification for suggestions/objections on the proposed changes in the DP reservation was made June 16, 2004 and after six days, on June 22, the allotment was made, though the time for raising objetions or making suggestions was open for another 30 days.