Adarsh probe to cost state exchequer Rs 30 lakh per month

MUMBAI: The Democratic Front government will be spending a whopping Rs 30 lakh per month on the commission of inquiry set up to probe into the multi-crore Adarsh housing scam involving high-ranking military officials, leading politicians and babus.

“We will be paying Rs 1.6 lakh each to the presiding officer and member of the commission. In addition, we have deployed more than two officials of different ranks to assist the commission. Further, we will have to pay huge fees to the commission’s lawyers,” a senior official told TOI on Monday.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had, on January 8, declared that a commission, comprising Justice J A Patil, a former judge of the Bombay high court and P Subrahmanyam, was being set up to probe into the multi-crore housing scam.

As per the terms of reference, the commission will investigate if the land allotted to the society belonged to the state government or the defence. It will also find out whether the land was reserved for Kargil war heroes, whether any person, who was not eligible to become a member of the society, was approved and whether any public servant had given permissions or clearances as quid pro quo to the society or which would attract the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

“We have asked the commission to submit its report within three months, but it may not be possible. Since after the notification was issued, it took well over two months to start the actual work, since there was delay in providing office space and staff for the commission,” the senior official added.

Besides the ownership of the land, the commission will also probe into the role of the 21 officials, who have been allotted membership of the society, along with 104 members. Initially, the state government had invoked the provisions of the all India civil service rules and Maharashtra civil service rules to secure information.

The official said that the government will be spending on the salaries of the presiding officer, member and staff of the commission. “The commission is yet to appoint lawyers, that will be another major expenditure since most of the lawyers are asking for Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh for each appearance,” he said.

Following a series of reports in the TOI, Sonia Gandhi had asked chief minister Ashok Chavan to step down. Later, the CBI registered a case against nine persons under the Prevention of Corruption Act.