Shiv Sena leader moves High Court on Adarsh, names Gadkari's associate

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe has approached the Bombay High Court seeking invocation of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, Environment (Protection) Act and Benami Transaction Act against the persons accused by CBI in the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

Interestingly, her petition mentions Abhay Sancheti, an alleged "close associate" of BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, named by the two-member judicial commission which probed the scam.

"The commission in its final report has clearly mentioned that the society had not sought clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to construct in a Coastal Regulation Zone II area. This amounts to violation under the Environment (Protection) Act," the petition states.

It further adds that the commission had pointed out that 22 out of the 100 flats are `benami'. "The commission in its report said that out of the 22 benami flats, eight are in the name of Abhay Sancheti who is said to be a close associate of former BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Investigation must be conducted under Benami Transaction Act against the accused persons," the petition said.

However, when the petition came up for hearing before the division bench of Justices N H Patil and V L Achiliya, the judges recused themselves without giving any reasons. The petition will now be placed before another bench.