File status report on probe against CM: HC

MUMBAI, December 22: The Bombay High Court today ordered the state government to file a status report on the investigations into alleged fa...

MUMBAI, December 22: The Bombay High Court today ordered the state government to file a status report on the investigations into alleged favours conferred on Messers Venus Housing Enterprises by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi.

The order comes in the wake of a writ petition filed by Sushil Mahadeo Birje, urging a CBI inquiry into alleged violation of FSI (Floor Space Index) rules by Venus builders. According to Birje, one of the 160 tenants in the housing complex, Venus has built a 19-storeyed building in Gulmoriwadi at Dadar. He has further alleged that the construction company has used the chief minister’s clout to proceed with the illegal construction.

Moreover, the builder is now threatening old tenants of Gulmoriwadi to vacate. The petition alleges that Venus company has `managed’ to `convert’ the housing complex into a slum colony, so that old tenants can be shooed away to an alternate accommodation at the cost of the municipal corporation. Once the old tenants leave, the real estate can be utilised for development of a recreation area and parking space for the 19-storeyed building called Hrishikesh Apartments, the petitioner added.

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The division bench of Justice D K Trivedi and Chandrashekhara Das today directed the state government to file the report on the alleged fraud. The petition, not yet admitted, will be heard on January 12 next year.

Petitioners’ counsel P Janardanan today submitted that Venus builders were given permission only for five storeys. However, Joshi intervened and directed BMC to grant the added FSI and declare Gulmoriwadi as a slum area.

The CM allegedly took a special meeting for this at Sahyadri guest house on February 5 last year.

Advocate General C J Sawant today appeared on behalf of Joshi. He denied the charges levelled against him. He said statements of ten persons have already been recorded by police following a FIR lodged by the petitioner in April last year.