Wrap-up: Tower of graft to be brought down

The Bombay High Court on Friday ordered demolition of the 31-storey scam-tainted Adarsh apartments in the heart of Mumbai and sought criminal proceedings against politicians and bureaucrats for “misuse” of powers, holding that the tower was illegally constructed.

However, on a plea made by the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society, a division bench stayed its order to pull down the building which is close to the sea at Colaba for 12 weeks to enable it file an appeal in the Supreme Court, despite the Maharashtra government opposing it.

In its order, the division bench asked the Union ministry of environment and forests to carry out the demolition at the expense of petitioners, Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society. The court also asked the Centre and the Maharashtra government to consider initiating criminal proceedings against bureaucrats, former ministers and politicians for abuse of power to get plots under the scheme meant for Kargil war heroes.

Seen as a symbol of corruption, the Adarsh scam kicked up a political storm after it surfaced in 2010, leading to the resignation of the then Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan. The housing project, standing on prime land in Mumbai, was meant for the welfare of war veterans and war widows. But influential politicians and top bureaucrats allegedly subverted the rules for their own benefit or that of their close relatives to take advantage of the scheme.

Our Take: The Adarsh building was a perfect example of what happens when the bureaucracy and politicians collude for ulterior motives. It is also a shining example of the attitude and respect the decision-makers have for our soldiers. For netas and babus personal gain towers above everything. They have scant respect for anyone else. The court has done the right thing by ordering to demolish the building which was supposed to be for war heroes.