Leaked CAG report holds Vilasrao Deshmukh responsible for out-of-turn land allotment in 2006

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Union science and technology minister Vilasrao Deshmukh could face major political trouble in Maharashtra, as the leaked part of State CAG report holds him responsible for making an out-of-turn land allotment to his own trust when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra in 2006.

This comes just a day after the Supreme Court's verdict against Deshmukh on allotment of land to filmmaker Subhash Ghai's institute.

Reacting to the development, BJP demanded that Deshmukh should be sacked if he does not step down immediately. Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said the CAG report, which is yet to be tabled in Maharashtra assembly, has reportedly indicted Deshmukh in a land allotment case to "select NGOs" and a media baron. She said even the Supreme Court has rebuked the minister.

"Deshmukh has no moral authority to continue in office. He should step down immediately. If he does not resign, then the prime minister should sack him," Sitharaman said, adding that his continuance as a Cabinet minister is in no way justified after these reports.

BJP said the Union minister should resign and clear his name. Deshmukh's name had earlier cropped up in the Adarsh Housing Society scam as well. Maharashtra BJP is planning to take up the issue in a big way in the coming days.

ET accessed the leaked CAG report in which Vilasrao Deshmukh has been held responsible for allotting land out of turn to Manjra Charitable Trust in Borivali in Mumbai.

The Manjra Charitable Trust was supposed to use the land for setting up a dental college. The collector of Mumbai suburban district made this land allotment. Although the CAG report is yet to be tabled in the Maharashtra assembly, opposition BJP said it was disclosing some part of it so that the assembly could get time to discuss its contents.

The CAG report says: "Our scrutiny of land records revealed that the collector while allotting land did not mention the basic condition regarding completion of entire work within the period of two years so as to commence educational activity. It was also revealed that the chief minister had approved the application of Manjara trust for allotment of land in preference to three other applications without assigning any reason for this preferential allotment."