Chavan's mother-in-law got flat from CM's quota

There is more trouble ahead for former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, who is an accused in the Adarsh scam.

A public interest litigation filed in the Bombay high court claims that his mother-in-law was allotted a 800-sq ft flat under chief minister's quota at suburban Powai in Mumbai.

Petitioner Ketan Tirodkar, a former journalist, has also named other politicians who allegedly got flats at Kingston Building in Powai.

Chavan had to resign last year after it came to light that his mother-in-law and other relatives had flats in the controversial Adarsh society in Mumbai.

Tirodkar's petition, which came up for hearing on Wednesday, says that in the past 20 years several politicians in Maharashtra and their kin were allotted more than one flats from the CM's quota.

It seeks a Central Bureau of Investigation probe. It alleges that Nationalist Congress Party's Chhagan Bhujbal (at present state public works and development minister) was allotted an 825 sq ft flat in Pune in May 1992.

His nephew and NCP leader Sameer Bhujbal was allotted a 1,040 sq ft flat in Pune under `intense need of space' category from the CM's quota a few years back.

Ashok Rane, the brother of Congress minister Narayan Rane, was allotted a flat in Pune, whereas Ashok's daughter was allotted a flat from CM's quota in Mumbai, the PIL says.

"Pratap Pawar, brother of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, has been awarded flat of 47.48 sq. meters in Pune under `intense need of space' category. Also the son and the daughter of BJP leader Prakash Javadekar were allotted two flats in Mumbai," the petition alleges.

The division bench of Justices P V Hardas and M N Gilani will hear the petition next in June 2011.