Mumbai/New Delhi, December 18
Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayana has refused sanction to the CBI to prosecute former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh housing scam, leaving the agency with no choice but to close the case against him.

Chavan, who had to resign from the post of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra after the scam surfaced, was among the 12 who were charge sheeted by the agency in connection with the case.

The former Chief Minister had challenged his inclusion in the charge-sheet, saying no sanction for prosecution was taken from the Governor whereas the CBI countered it saying since he was a former minister at the time of being charge-sheeted, there was no need for sanction.

The court, however, directed the agency to get the sanction for prosecution.

Later, the CBI approached the Governor seeking the sanction, which was rejected even though the agency had made a detailed submission for it.

“We do not have any legal remedy now. It is for the court to look into the matter,” CBI Director Ranjit Sinha told PTI.

Agency sources said it was not the first time that cases against powerful ministers had been dropped due to lack of sanction from the competent authorities.

In the Taj Corridor case, then UP Governor TV Rajeswar had rejected CBI's plea for charge-sheeting Mayawati which led to dropping of charges against her.

The sources said while 12 others, which include senior bureaucrats Jairaj Phatak and Pradeep Vyas, will face court proceedings, charges against Chavan will be closed.

The CBI sources said they had collected detailed evidence against Chavan which was presented before the Governor while seeking sanction against him.

The CBI had alleged in its charge sheet that Chavan had increased the floor space index of the controversial Adarsh Society in lieu of two flats to his relatives. — PTI