After the CBI approached the Maharashtra governor seeking sanction to prosecute him in connection with the Adarsh Housing Society corruption case, former chief minister Ashok Chavan has accused the BJP of carrying out a “political vendetta” against him. Mr Chavan claimed that the CBI’s earlier similar plea was rejected by then governor K Sankaranarayanan after taking legal opinion. He said he is being targeted by the BJP for exposing their governments in the state and centre on various issues.
According to reports, the CBI has again approached the governor seeking sanction to prosecute Mr Chavan. However, the Congress leader alleged that the CBI is acting under pressure from the BJP leaders at the Centre as well as in the state.
“This is a typical case of vendetta by the BJP government against the Congress leaders who have been criticising it. We have been raising issues they are not comfortable with like its performance, price rise, inflation, farmers’ suicide and we will continue to do that. Therefore they are trying gag us by implicating us in court cases. The latest attempt by the CBI to prosecute me is example of that,” Mr Chavan said.
He leader also claimed that previously former governor K Sankaranarayanan rejected CBI’s same plea because there was no case against him. “Mr Sankaranarayanan had declined sanction for prosecution after consulting the Solicitor General. Now it is shocking to know that the new government is putting pressure on the CBI to achieve its political goals,” he said. Mr Chavan, who had to resign as chief minister after the scam surfaced in 2010, was among the 12 persons chargesheeted by the agency in connection with the case.
