The Bombay High Court on Friday ordered demolition of the controversial Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai. The court stated that there was no Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the building and added that politicians and bureaucrats illegally procured flats meant for Kargil war widows and defence personnel.
The order was given after a petition filed by Adarsh Housing Society had challenged the Environment Ministry's order to demolish the building.
The court has given 12 weeks time to Maharashtra government to appeal against the order in Supreme Court. The court has also ordered Maharashtra government to initiate criminal proceedings against bureaucrats and politicians for illegal construction of Adarsh Society.
The BJP has welcomed the decision calling the building a symbol of corruption.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry had also filed a petition seeking implementation of Environment Ministry's demolition order.
The Environment Ministry had on January 16, 2011 directed the Society to demolish within three months the "unauthorised" 31-storey building in South Mumbai for violating coastal regulations.
The high-rise meant to house families of Kargil martyrs came under the scanner following reports that flats were doled out to politicians, top defence personnel including two former Army chiefs and bureaucrats as well as their relatives.
According to CBI, Chavan had approved additional floor space in Adarsh in exchange for flats for his relatives in Adarsh - a society meant for war veterans.
Chavan was among the 13 people chargesheeted by the CBI in the Adarsh scam in July 2012. Chavan was forced to quit in November 2010 after it emerged that three of his relatives had been given apartments in the 30-storey building.
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