Journalism of Courage
Even as suspense prevails over the findings of the two-member judicial commission appointed to probe the Adarsh housing society scam,an accused has got some relief from the court.
A special CBI court recently ordered defreezing of all bank accounts belonging to ex-civic chief Jairaj Phatak and his family members.
Phataks son,Kanishka,is a member of the society. Jairaj Phatak has been accused of illegally regularising the additional floors of the society without referring it to the highrise committee,which was headed by a retired High Court judge.
In February 2011,the CBI,which is investigating the scam,froze 22 bank accounts belonging to Phatak and his family members,after searching several properties owned by the family. Besides 10 accounts belonging to Phatak,accounts belonging to his late father,wife,son,daughter,and daughter-in-law,were also frozen.
Now,over two-and-a-half years after it froze the bank accounts,the CBI informed the court that it had no evidence to suggest that Phatak was involved in any benami transaction.
Special judge A D Karanjkar ordered defreezing of the accounts. Bank accounts belonging to Phataks daughter and daughter-in-law were released first.
SANDEEP ASHAR
