Timeline: Jagan Mohan Reddy DA case

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* June 28, 2012 - Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday reserved its judgement on the bail plea of Jaganmohan Reddy, till July 4. The arguments concluded before Justice S Govinda Rajulu today.
Eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani, representing Jagan, argued that the arrest of his client was politically motivated.

* June 27, 2012 - Arguments on the bail plea of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, began today in the Andhra Pradesh high court, with his lawyer arguing that the CBI was harassing him at the behest of its political masters. While eminent defence lawyer Ram Jethmalani is arguing for Jagan, senior counsel Ashok Bhan is representing the CBI.

* June 25, 2012 - ED officials recorded statements of three accused, including suspended IAS officer BP Acharya, in the disproportionate assets case against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the second day in Hyderabad on Monday. Besides Acharya, ED officials questioned industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and senior bureaucrat KV Brahmananda Reddy at Chanchalguda prison and recorded their statements under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.


* June 25, 2012 - A local CBI court on Monday extended till July 4 the judicial remand of YS Jaganmohan Reddy in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Jagan, who appeared before the judge through video conference from Chanchalguda prison where he is lodged, had earlier requested the court that he be allowed to appear in the court in person. However, the court rejected his memo and directed the prison authorities to produce him through video conference. When Jagan was last produced before the court, the police brought him in a police van, instead of the bullet-proof vehicle it used earlier.

* June 23, 2012 - BCCI chief and India Cements Managing Director N Srinivasan on Saturday appeared before the CBI here for the second time this week for questioning in connection with a disproportionate assets case filed against YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy.

* June 21, 2012 - YS Jagan Mohan Reddy today moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking bail.
The court is likely to hear the application tomorrow. The Kadapa MP says in the bail plea that he has never interfered with CBI's investigation or influenced any witnesses since the FIR was registered against him last August.


* June 20, 2012- Paving the way for the ED to probe the DA case against Jagan Mohan Reddy, a local court CBI court on Tuesday allowed the agency to question industrialist and founder of pharmaceuticals major Nimmagadda Prasad and bureaucrat Brhamananda Reddy. Prasad and Reddy were arrested by the CBI for their alleged role in Jagan’s businesses and they are currently lodged in the central prison in Hyderabad. The court has allowed the ED officials to question the duo in the next 15 days. The ED has already filed an application in the CBI court seeking permission to question Jagan as well.


* June 18, 2012- BCCI chief and India Cements Managing Director N Srinivasan on Monday appeared before CBI in connection with the disproportionate assets cases against Jaganmohan Reddy

* June 15, 2012- The Enforcement Directorate sought permission from the CBI court to record the statement of jailed Jaganmohan Reddy in a money laundering case

* June 11, 2012- A special CBI court in Hyderabad on Monday extended the judicial custody of Jaganmohan Reddy by another 14 days. The young Kadapa MP, whose 14-day judicial custody ended today, will now have to stay in jail at least till June 25.

* June 9, 2012- CBI resumed Jaganmohan Reddy's custodial interrogation. The Kadapa MP was brought to CBI office in Kendriya Sadan at 10.30am amid tight police security. The High Court had given Jagan's custody to the CBI for two days till June 10 and directed the agency to question him during the day hours 10.30am to 5pm in presence of his lawyers. The CBI had sought the custody of Jagan saying it needed to confront him over the facts emerging out of the investigation into the Vodarevu and Nizampatnam Port and Industrial Corridor (Vanpic) project. The agency also informed the court that the accused did not cooperate with the agency during his last 5-day custody that ended on June 7.


* June 8, 2012- Called for questioning by CBI in connection with disproportionate assets cases against Jaganmohan Reddy, BCCI chief and India Cements Managing Director, N Srinivasan today claimed that the company has not done anything wrong and that it is ready to cooperate with the investigating agency.
CBI is probing the alleged investments made by Srinivasan's company, India Cements in the companies promoted by the Kadapa MP during the tenure of his father Y S Rajshekhara Reddy as chief minister. CBI sources said the cement companies could be asked about water and limestone allocations made during the tenure of Reddy as chief minister.

* June 8, 2012- Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday granted CBI a two-day custody of S Jaganmohan Reddy for further questioning in the disproportionate assets case. The court allowed CBI to question him on Saturday (June 9) and Sunday (June 10). It had earlier remanded Jagan in CBI custody for five days from June 3 to 7.


* June 8, 2012- The CBI has called BCCI Chief and India Cements Managing Director N Srinivasan for questioning in connection with disproportionate assets cases against YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy. Srinivasan has been asked to appear next week at the CBI office.
CBI is probing the alleged investments made by Srinivasan's company India Cements in the companies promoted by the Kadapa MP during the tenure of his father Y S Rajshekhara Reddy as chief minister.

* June 7, 2012- Andhra Information Technology Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah quizzed by CBI for 8 hours. The CBI questioned him regarding the Government Orders (GOs) issued during 2004-09 by the Irrigation Department, when he was the Major Irrigation Minister in the cabinet of late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, on supply of water to manufacturing plants of some cement firms. These firms allegedly made investments in Jagan's businesses.
Senior IAS officer Adityanath Das, who was the then Principal Secretary of Irrigation, was also quizzed with regard to the GOs.

* June 7, 2012- ED allowed access to charge sheets. The court had last month allowed the ED's petition seeking copies of the charge sheet and related documents (pertaining to the DA case) after it had taken cognisance of the first charge sheet.
The ED plea to question the accused in judicial custody in connection with the Jagan case, Emaar and OMC case involving former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, was posted to June 14 by the court.

* June 7, 2012- CBI seeks custody of Jagan Reddy for another three-days. The court asked the agency to move a petition on Friday (June 8). Jagan's five-day CBI custody ended Thursday (June 7) with officials grilling him about investments, primarily in the cement companies for the fifth consecutive day.
The high court also adjourned hearing on Jagan's petition seeking permission to speak to media. The court, while directing the CBI to file a counter, adjourned the hearing to June 21. It means Jagan would get no opportunity to address the voters through media as the campaigning for by-elections will come to an end June 10.
A CBI court extended the judicial custody of former minister Mopidevi Venkataramana till June 21. As Venkataramana's 14-day judicial custody ends Thursday, he was produced before the CBI court. The agency sought extension of his custody on the ground that investigations were on in the case.

* June 7, 2012- Information Technology Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah appeared before the CBI. He was being questioned regarding to orders issued by him allocating water to some cement companies which made investment into Jagan's businesses.


* June 6, 2012- YSR Congress Chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking direction to the state government and jail authorities to allow him to communicate his statements through media in view of the forthcoming by-elections on June 12. The Kadapa MP requested the high court to allow him to communicate, publish and telecast his letters, verbal appeals to the electorate of Andhra Pradesh in both the print and electronic media in accordance with law, during the period of his custody in Chanchalguda Prison here.

* June 6, 2012- CBI grills Jagan for fourth consecutive day. The agency, which took Jagan into custody from the Chanchalguda Jail here, grilled him about the flow of investments into Jagati Publications, Indira Television and Janani Infrastructure Pvt Ltd -- promoted and owned by Jagan and also about the land and buildings in the name of these three firms. The CBI also quizzed Kakinada (Urban) MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy and Jagan's financial advisor V Vijay Sai Reddy (another accused in the DA case and now out on bail) for the second day in a row today.

* June 5, 2012- Jagan quizzed by CBI for third consecutive day. Kakinada Urban MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy, Jagathi Publications Editorial Director S Ramakrishna Reddy, and Jagan's Financial Advisor V Vijay Sai Reddy (an accused in the DA case) also appeared before the central agency as part of the questioning.

* June 5, 2012- Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy was today questioned by the CBI. The MLA was questioned over the investments made by industrialists and individuals in Janani Infra, one of the group companies owned by Jaganmohan, sources said. The CBI also questioned him about the investments made by certain individuals, who had allegedly benefited from the government during the tenure of former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, father of Jaganmohan.

* June 4, 2012 - CBI grills Jagan Reddy for second consecutive day. The CBI, given the MP’s custody for five days, took him from Chanchalguda Central Jail to its office at Koti, three kilometers away. The questioning took place in the presence of Jagan’s lawyers. The agency wants to know from Jagan the investments that flowed into his companies between 2004 and 2009 when his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the Andhra Pradesh chief minister. The businessman politician allegedly got the investments as bribe for the favours doled out by the government to investors in the form of land, licenses and other concessions.

* June 4, 2012 - CBI officer under tight security after Jagan Reddy’s arrest. With the central intelligence agencies alerting the state government about a possible threat to Lakshminarayana, particularly after the arrest of Jagan Reddy, the government has decided to significantly upgrade his security. Now, he would have a 12-member armed security team, in addition to an escort vehicle following him always.

* June 3, 2012 - CBI begins custodial interrogation of Jagan Reddy.

* June 2, 2012 - Jagan Reddy remanded to 5-day CBI custody. The High Court also dismissed Jagan's petition seeking directions to declare his arrest as illegal. Justice B Chandra Kumar issued orders that the CBI can question Jagan from June 3 to 7. The investigating agency can take the custody of Jagan and the accused can be questioned between 10.30am to 5pm, the order said.

* June 1, 2012 - Bail plea of Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed. The Principal Special Court for CBI cases in its orders upheld the contention of the investigating agency that the petitioner (Jagan) may tamper with evidences.

* May 31, 2012 - Further complicating things for Ramky Infra, the CBI court has summoned the company’s chairman A Ayodhya Rami Reddy to appear before it on June 11 for his alleged links with the controversial Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy

* May 31, 2012 - Amid controversy over the senior management members’ links with Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Aurobindo Pharma has restructured its board. With the restructuring, the company’s founder chairman PV Ramprasad Reddy will relinquish his position as executive chairman with effect from June 1, 2012.


* May 30, 2012 - A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Hyderabad sent the Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao to judicial custody till June 7 even as he applied for bail on health grounds.

* May 29, 2012 - After the arrest of Jagan Mohan Reddy, the CBI is now said to be looking closely at the specific deals struck by the son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy with some of the top industrial groups either based in the state or having operations in it. Infrastructure major Ramky and pharma major Aurobindo are said to be top on the agenda of the investigating agency for further probe.

* May 29, 2012 - ED team lands in Hyderabad; to move court to question Jagan. The ED has registered separate cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) against the Kadapa MP, arrested by CBI on May 27, his associates and some civil servants

* May 29, 2012 - The Special CBI Court issued a Prisoner Transit (PT) warrant against Jagan and summons to his confidante V Vijay Sai Reddy and Jagathi Publications to appear before it on June 11. The warrant and summons were issued after the court took cognisance of the second chargesheet filed by the CBI earlier, in which Jagan Mohan Reddy, Vijay Sai Reddy and Jagati Publications are shown as accused.

* May 29, 2012 - A special court adjourned hearing on YSR Congress party leader and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's bail petition to May 31, 2012 in the disproportionate assets case

* May 29, 2012 - The CBI submitted the third chargesheet in the illegal assets case

* May 28, 2012 - Jagan, as the YSR Congress chief is known, sent to judicial custody for two weeks by the court

* May 27, 2012 - Jagan arrested by CBI, just 15 days before the by-elections (in the 18 Assembly segments and one Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh)

* May 24, 2012 - Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao arrested in connection with the disproportionate assets case involving YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

* April 8, 2012 - After filing a charge sheet against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for alleged abuse of his official position, the CBI has sent a request to various countries seeking their assistance in probing alleged transfer of funds by the son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, a charge denied by him. The letter of request, sent through diplomatic channel, alleged that between 2004 and 2009 when YS Rajashekar Reddy was the chief minister, his son Jagan and his family allegedly defrauded the public exchequer by way of obtaining several favours from the state government in matters related to issuance of licences and permissions.

* April 2, 2012- Aurobindo Pharma is under CBI scanner for alleged links with Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. In addition to the company as an entity, its managing director K Nityananda Reddy and the company secretary P S Chandramouli too have been named as accused by the investigation agency in the DA case filed against Jagan.

* May 13, 2011 - Kadapa bypoll: Jagan Mohan Reddy wins by 5,43,053 votes

* August 18, 2011 - Jagan Reddy’s 75-room palace stuns CBI into action

* Aug 17, 2011 - CBI files FIR against Jagan Reddy in disproportionate assets case.

The CBI registered FIR against Jagan and 74 others in the case of illegal assets and alleged flow of illegal investments into his business empire and registered cases under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 477A (falsification of accounts) of the Indian Penal Code, besides Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the FIR, the Jagan-owned Jagati Publications Pvt Ltd (managing Sakshi Telugu news channel and Sakshi daily) incorporated on June 14, 2006 and with an accumulated business loss of Rs 350 crore in four years could get a total investment of Rs 1,246 crore.

* Aug 10, 2011 - The High Court gives order, directed CBI to take their probe into the case to its logical end and ordered a thorough inquiry by CBI into the alleged disproportionate assets of Jagan after registering a criminal case. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nissar Ahmad Kakru and Justice Vilas Afzalpurkar had also asked the investigating agency to inquire into the alleged irregularities of land allotment to Emaar by the then Rajasekhara Reddy government and dilution of the stake of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructural Corporation (APIIC) in joint venture with Emaar for the development of township on the city outskirts.

* June 14, 2006 - The Jagan-owned Jagati Publications Pvt Ltd (managing Sakshi Telugu news channel and Sakshi daily) incorporated

###TO BE UPDATED...###

Timeline: Adarsh Housing Scam

The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in construction and allotment of apartments in the 32-storeyed high rise, originally meant for families of Kargil war heroes, in the upmarket Colaba area in south Mumbai. (link)

* June 28, 2012 - Vilasrao Deshmukh held the minister of revenue Ashok Chavan responsible for overlooking violations while allotting the land to the Adarsh CHS. While putting up a strong defence, Deshmukh indicated that whenever faced with any matter relating to Adarsh CHS, be it accommodation of 40% civilians or CRZ clearance or possession of plot, he would immediately forward them to the revenue department. Commenting on if he had seen the letter citing the army’s willingness to part with the land in its possession for 25-30 years to the collector, Deshmukh said, “As the matter concerned the revenue department, I made a remark in my own handwriting in its margin: “M (Rev). Pl, process this and put up” (M means minister). However, the revenue minister did not get back to me, he said. Deshmukh revealed that he was not advised that MoEF clearance was required for the proposed reduction of the road’s width and its conversion from road to residence. Swarup Singh Naik was in charge of the environment portfolio then.

* June 27, 2012 - Seeking to absolve himself of culpability in the 'Adarsh' scam, Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Wednesday passed the buck to former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, saying the "whole" matter was referred to the revenue department for clearance after which the land was allotted. "The whole Adarsh matter pertained to land allotment and was hence sent to the revenue department as that was the concerned department. Ashok Chavan was the Revenue Minister then," Deshmukh told the two-member inquiry commission set up by the state government to go into the scam.

* June 27, 2012 - Union minister for science and technology Vilasrao Deshmukh on Tuesday indirectly put the onus of the controversial Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society (CHS) scam on the ministry of revenue and bureaucrats. Deshmukh, who deposed before the Adarsh commission, said, “The letter pertaining to Adarsh CHS came up before me for the first time in the year 2000.”

* June 25, 2012 - Seeking to wash his hands off the Adarsh scam, Union Minister of power Sushil Kumar Shinde told a judicial panel the decision to allot government land and grant of additional FSI to the housing society was taken during the tenure of Vilasrao Deshmukh as Chief Minister.

* June 22, 2012 - The two-member Adarsh Commission probing the Adarsh Society scam today issued notice to Union Power Minister and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to appear before it as a witness in the case on June 25. Shinde was the chief minister (2001 to 2003) when he cleared many files including allotment of land to Adarsh.


* June 21, 2012 - Copies of Adarsh documents safe with CBI, Judicial Commission. Amid apprehensions that several important files relating to the Adarsh Housing Society scam may have been destroyed in today's fire at 'Mantralaya', officials of CBI and the judicial panel probing it said they have copies of all relevant documents

* June 18, 2012 - Maharashtra government contested in the Bombay High Court the CBI's jurisdiction to probe the Adarsh Housing scam, nearly a year-and-a-half after it registered an FIR in the case involving former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, bureaucrats and retired army officers.
State government's counsel Anil Sakhare told the court that the CBI did not have the jurisdiction to probe the matter as neither the state government nor the High Court had handed over the investigation to it.

* June 16, 2012 - Adarsh Co-Operative Housing Society, sent a letter to the Directorate of Enforcement seeking closure of the inquiry initiated against it based on the report submitted by the judicial panel set up by the Maharashtra government. The letter has been sent to the enforcement directorate’s director in Delhi, Rajan Katoch and assistant director in Mumbai, NP Khutal. Last week, the society had written similar letters to the Ministry of Defence and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).


* June 10, 2012 - The ED has issued summons to nine accused in the Adarsh cooperative housing society scam, who were arrested by the CBI and are presently out on bail. The ED has asked the accused to remain present before its officials in the coming week.

* June 9, 2012 - Adarsh members have approached the Defence Ministry and the CBI seeking quashing of the FIR filed in the alleged multi-crore rupees scam in the housing society in the wake of a judicial probe of the Maharashtra government which had stated that the land belonged to the state and not defence. In a letter written to Defence Minister AK Antony, CBI Director AP Singh and other senior officials, Manish Deasai, partner of Vidhii law firm, said, "There is no material on record to show that, the land on which the Adarsh building stands today belongs to Defence Ministry or that it was allotted to the society illegally."


* June 7, 2012 - Former civic chief Jairaj Phatak and ex-state Information Commissioner Ramanand Tiwari, were granted bail by a special CBI court in Mumbai as the agency failed to file the charge sheet within the stipulated 60-day period

* June 4, 2012 - Jairaj Phatak and Ramanand Tiwari filed their bail applications. The bail plea filed by Pathak's lawyer Swapna Kode contended that he is entitled to be released as the charge sheet was not filed within 60 days and the stipulated period came to an end on June 4. Tiwari's lawyer Sadanand Shetty had also contended that he is entitled to get bail on the same grounds.

* June 1, 2012 - Allegations against former Maha CMs being probed, CBI tells HC in an affidavit, which says that it is thoroughly investigating the allegations made against Union Ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushil Kumar Shinde by a social activist, based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

* June 1, 2012 - A meeting of the Public Accounts Committee today saw strong arguments between chairman Murli Manohar Joshi and a Congress member over pursuance of CAG's report on Adarsh Society when an inquiry commission has declared that the land belongs to the state government. At the first meeting of the newly-constituted PAC, Sanjay Nirupam is learnt to have said that since the land belongs to the Maharashtra government, the PAC cannot take up a state subject.

* May 29, 2012 - Seven accused in the Adarsh Housing Society scam were granted bail by a special court here. The accused were directed to furnish surety of Rs five lakh each and asked to report to the CBI office in Mumbai on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week. Of the nine accused, those who secured bail include IAS officer Pradeep Vyas, former deputy secretary in Urban Development Department PV Deshmukh, Brigadier (retd) MM Wanchoo, retired Defence Estates Officer RC Thakur, Major General (Retd) AR Kumar, Major Gen (Retd) TK Kaul and former MLC Kanhaiyyalal Gidwani.

* May 29, 2012 - The MoD (Ministry of Defence) sent a notice to the Maharashtra government with the claim of ownership of the Adarsh land and may file a title suit in either the Bombay High Court or the Supreme Court for the plot. It has asked the state government to hand over the possession of the land within two months.

* May 28, 2012 - Fourteen accused in the multi-crore Adarsh Housing Society scam might land in more trouble, as the CBI told a special court that it might add stringent sections of the IPC, which could attract life imprisonment for them. The CBI told the court that it was likely to add section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and section 467 (forgery of valuable security and wills) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the accused, who could get life imprisonment if convicted under these sections.


* May 24, 2012 - In a U-turn, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Thursday told the two-member inquiry commission probing the Adarsh housing society scam he is ready to appear before it on June 30

* May 23, 2012 - The Adarsh Judicial Commission has directed former Maharashtra chief ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh to appear before it on June 21 and 22, and Sushil Kumar Shinde has been told to appear on June 25 and 26

* May 22, 2012 - Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan sought exemption to appear as a witness before the two-member commission probing the Adarsh housing scam. Chavan was summoned by the Commission to appear as a witness on May 23.

* May 21, 2012 - Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Shivajirao Nilangekar-Patil deposed before the two-member Judicial Commission, probing the Adarsh Housing Society scam. He had dealt with proposals submitted by the scam-tainted society during his tenure as Revenue Minister from January 2003 to July 2004. He told the Commission that the proposals of the society were expedited as it's chief promoter MLC Kanhaiyalal Gidwani had requested the government to do so.

* April 30, 2012 - Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and 13 others have been slapped with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate(ED) for their alleged involvement in the Adarsh housing scam. "An ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) has been registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on March 5 against 14 persons. The 14 persons are the same who have been named as accused by CBI in their FIR," senior counsel RV Desai appearing for ED told the Bombay High Court.

* April 30, 2012 - The High Court directed CBI and ED to file their reply affidavits to Wategaonkar's allegations

* April 2012 - Social activist, Pravin Wategaonkar, filed an affidavit before the High Court based on the CAG report alleging that Deshmukh, former Maharashtra Chief minister, owns two proxy flats in the scam tainted Adarsh society in south Mumbai. He sought CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate the role of Deshmukh, Shinde and other politicians and bureaucrats for alleged irregularities committed by them while showing favour to Adarsh Society.

* April 18, 2012 - Army is mulling filing an appeal in the Supreme Court against the report of the Judicial Commission on the Adarsh Society scam which said the land on which the multi-storeyed build stands belonged to Maharashtra government.

* April 17, 2012 - The judicial commission probing the Adarsh housing scam has said the land on which the controversial skyscraper stands belongs to the state and not the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and that it was not reserved for Kargil war widows. The interim report of the two-member panel headed by former High Court Judge JA Patil, which was tabled in the state assembly today by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, has said the MoD has failed to prove its ownership of the land.

* April 11, 2012 - The special CBI court in Mumbai, which rejected the bail pleas of seven accused in the Adarsh Housing Society case on April 4, has observed that involvement of high-profile persons affected the pace of the probe. "Because of the high personalities involved, investigation did not take its own pace," observed Special Judge MV Kulkarni.

* April 4, 2012 - The judge rejected the bail applications of former Maharashtra legislator KL Gidwani, bureaucrat Pradeep Vyas, Major General (retd) TK Kaul, Major General (retd) AR Kumar, Brigadier (retd) MM Wanchoo, retired Defence Estates Officer RC Thakur and former Deputy Secretary in state Urban Development Department PV Deshmukh.

* April 3, 2012 - Former civic chief Jairaj Phatak and ex-state Information Commissioner Ramanand Tiwari, arrested in the Adarsh society scam

* March 28, 2012 - The country’s defence takes priority over any other matter, said the Bombay high court on Tuesday while hearing the Adarsh co-operative housing society case. It restrained the state and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from issuing any permission or clearance to the building. A division bench comprising justice PB Majumdar and justice RD Dhanuka directed all parties to maintain status quo. “No steps shall be taken by (authorities concerned) for issuing no-objection certificate (NOC), occupation certificate (OC), commencement certificate or any other permission for development in any manner. Also, no additional facility should be made available (to the society) until further orders,” said the court.

* March 23, 2012 - The Bombay High Court has urged members of the Adarsh housing society to take recourse to reform by surrendering the scam-tainted building and its land to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), taking into account the security aspect of the issue at hand.

* March 22, 2012 - Asking scam-tainted Adarsh Housing Society to surrender the 31-storey building to the Defence Ministry, the Bombay High Court on Thursday said the structure posed a threat to sensitive defence installations nearby and lessons had to learnt from Mumbai terror attacks.

The court directed BMC and MMRDA to explain during the next hearing on April 30 whether they had considered the security aspect before granting clearance to Adarsh society. "Explain whether NOC from defence ministry was obtained. The defence ministry shall also point out if NOC was given then by which department and whether that department had the authority to grant permission," it said.


* March 20 and 21, 2012 - IAS officer Pradeep Vyas, former deputy secretary in Urban Development Department PV Deshmukh, Brigadier (retd) MM Wanchoo, retired Defence Estates Officer RC Thakur, Major General (Retd) AR Kumar, Major Gen (Retd) TK Kaul and former MLC Kanhaiyyalal Gidwani arrested

* March 12, 2012 - The bench severely castigated the CBI for its failure to arrest "high-ranking politicians" in the scam despite having evidence and directed the investigative agency to act "without fear or favour".

* March 12, 2012 - The Bombay High Court exempted the Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) from personally appearing before it on March 12 and instead summoned the Special Director, along with a status report mentioning the steps that have been taken in the scam-tainted Adarsh Housing Society probe.

* March 7, 2012 - CBI arrested one of its own counsels, Mandar Goswami, for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy with accused Kanhaiyalal Gidwani and his son to weaken the case.
Goswami, a retainer counsel who began working with the investigative agency just a few months ago, and JK Jagiasi, a tax consultant who was known to the Gidwanis and who was arrested for his involvement in the case last month, were paid Rs1.25 crore through hawala channels, claimed sources in the CBI. Goswami last represented the CBI in the Adarsh case on February 28.

* March 4, 2012 - A private complaint has been filed against NCP MLA, Jitendra Avhad, in a court in Thane for allegedly failing to disclose in his affidavit at the time of election that he owned a flat in the controversial Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai. The complaint, filed by social activist Pravin Wategaonkar before a magistrate's court in Thane, states that Avhad, who owned a flat in Adarsh, did not disclose the same in his affidavit accompanying the nomination form.

* February 28, 2012 - A division bench of Justice PB Majmudar and Justice RD Dhanuka severely castigated the agency for "serious lapse" on its part and failing to initiate inquiry against the Society members for money laundering while summoning the ED Director on March 12.

* February 14, 2012 - Bombay HC slams CBI over Adarsh probe pace. The CBI, which is probing the alleged scam in the allotment of flats in the Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society in South Mumbai for the past 15 months, wants three more months to complete the probe. A division bench of Justices SA Bobade and R Dhanuka of the Bombay high court, however, refused to grant any more time without the agency making a formal application within two weeks.


* December 17, 2011 - An important file of the high-rise building committee of Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society was missing from the office of chief engineer of the BMC,when important decisions about the building’s illegal floors were taken. Former civic chief Jairaj Phatak told the two-member commission that the original file had not been traced till the time he was the commissioner, and the BMC did not write to the committee for its say on the missing file.

* December 16, 2011 - In a severe blow to the claim by Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society that it had all requisite clearances from the ministry of environment and forest, former civic chief Jairaj Phatak admitted that the tower had no Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance. Phatak, on December 15, deposed in front of the two-member commission set up to probe the alleged Adarsh scam

* July 5, 2011 - The Esplanade court granted bail to three state urban development (UD) officers after the CBI failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated 60 days. Gurudatt Wajpe, N N Narvekar and Waman Rawool, were granted bail

* June 18, 2011 - Former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh absolved himself of any wrongdoing in the Adarsh scam and said all decisions pertaining to the society were taken in good faith. In a 15-page affidavit submitted on June 17, Deshmukh has indirectly blamed bureaucrats of the urban development department (UDD) as well as the revenue department apart from the collector. Former CM Ashok Chavan was revenue minister then and headed the UDD.

* May 26, 2011 - Former chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde has washed his hands off the Adarsh controversy, saying the land on which the controversial society was built belongs to the state government. Through his affidavit submitted to the Adarsh Inquiry Commission, the former Union minister has made a veiled reference to his predecessor Vilasrao Deshmukh apart from blaming ministers, collectors and bureaucrats for the irregularities.


* May 5, 2011 - Desk officer Gurudatt Wajpe, assistant town planner N N Narvekar and Waman Rawool, then a clerk to the UD principal secretary in custody in connection with a missing file in the Adarsh scam. The file allegedly contained important information on the deletion of the width of Capt Prakash Pethe Marg in Colaba and the alleged Coastal Regulation Zone clearance given to the land on which Adarsh stands. 

* February, 2011 - Bombay high court handed over the probe to CBI 

* January 30, 2011 - A day after filing an FIR against 13 persons in the Adarsh housing society scandal, the CBI conducted searches at the premises of four accused, including a retired army officer, a Congress leader and a former state government official. Incriminating documents were seized during the raids and the four may be summoned for questioning soon. The premises of the society’s general secretary RC Thakur, retired brigadier MM Wanchoo, Congress leader KL Gidwani and former principal secretary of the urban development department Ramanand Tiwari were searched. The office of the Adarsh society at Colaba was among the places visited by officials.

* January 14, 2011 - The MoEF had ordered demolition of Adarsh Society for violation of CRZ norms.

* January 3, 2011 - Maharashtra human rights commission member Subash Lalla tendered his resignation on account of his alleged role in the Adarsh housing scam, thus becoming the first IAS officer from the state cadre to lose his job. Despite the initial defiance, Lalla gave in to the mounting pressure from the state government, and submitted his resignation to governor K Sankaranarayanan. It was immediately accepted.

* November 2010 - Ashok Chavan had to step down as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra following the scam

* October 14, 2009 - In a meeting, the plan of 28th floor was not approved either by the BMC or MMRDA; but the floor had been built when the meeting took place. “The MMRDA had levied penalty on Adarsh for the construction of the 28th floor. The penalty was for its regularisation,” Phatak said.

* September 1, 2007 - During Phatak's tenure as Commissioner of BMC, he had approved the height to be increased from 97 metres to 107 metres. The CBI has alleged that he had not referred the height increase to other committee members.

* July 19, 2004 - Letter of Allotment (LOA) was issued to Adarsh society. Asked whether due verification about ownership, value of land and eligibility of members had been done before Letter of Allotment (LOA) was issued to the society on July 19, 2004, Shinde said, "I did not approve the Adarsh file immediately. Before issuing LOA, I sent it back to the Collector for verification of eligibility of the 51 members and asked the file to be put up before me after due verification."

* July 2, 2004 - Shivajirao Nilangekar-Patil during his tenure as Revenue Minister approved the valuation of the land in question at Rs10,19,19,652 after approval from the then chief minister. "The valuation was approved first by the Finance Department and sent to Revenue Department. After getting approval from the chief minister, I approved the valuation of the land" he said.

* January 18, 2003 - The decision to allot the land in question to Adarsh society was takenwhen Vilasrao Deshmukh was the Chief Minister. The Letter of Intent (LOI) was issued in favour of Adarsh on the morning of  January 18, 2003. "It was not issued under my instructions and it was never brought to my notice," Sushil Kumar Shinde has said.

* January 15, 2003 - Vilasrao Deshmukh resigned as Chief Minister

* April 10, 2002 - Government notification dropped the proposal to increase the width of Captain Prakash Pethe Marg (adjoining Adarsh) from 18.40 metres to 60.97 metres

* March 3, 2000 - About the second letter from the promoter on March 3, 2000, Deshmukh said, “I do not remember seeing this letter.” However, he admitted that the remarks made in the margin of the letter which read “Sec (UD) pl. put up” was in his own handwriting. “When I received the letter, I did not check up the situation and status of the land sought for, as it was the duty of the Collector to look after the same.” The second letter had sought the land for the military officers’ CHS —Adarsh CHS — in Block VI in Colaba division

* February 7, 2000 - Chief promoter of Adarsh CHS Kanhayalal Gidwani had sent a letter dated February 7, 2000 to the CM in connection with the allotment of the government land. “I started looking into the Adarsh issue when I saw the letter. I made a remark in my handwriting on the letter and it reads: principal secretary (revenue) pl. call for the proposal and put up immediately,” the former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said.

###TO BE UPDATED...###

Timeline: Rs 20,000 crore Hydropower Scam in Sikkim

Scam Value: Rs.20,000/-

* May 10, 2012 - Very detailed and in-depth article published in currentnews.in
* April 7, 2012 - the District Judge at Gangktok, Tashi Wangdi, issued an order that said the Government of Sikkim does not own even a single share in Teesta Urja Limited (TUL), which is developing the Rs 6,000 crore 1,200 Mega Watt Teesta Stage III Hydro Electric Project and is supposed to be “under joint sector with the Government.”
* August 14, 2007 - TUL, with the timely aid from white knight REC (Rural Electrification Corporation), was able to achieve financial closure
* January 2007 - AGPL (Asian Genco Pte. Ltd.) incorporated in Singapore
* May 12, 2006- TUL was given the TEC (Techno Economic Clearance - issued by the Central Electricity Authority, which comes under the MoP (Ministry of Power)), even though for all practical purposes it did not qualify for the TEC
* January 17, 2006 - The equity subscription agreement should have been drawn up and executed by. It is now known that this has not yet been done
* July 18, 2005 - TUL and GoS had signed and executed a Memorandum of Understanding agreement
* June 2004 - A high-powered committee was set up that included the Chief Secretary, two Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretary Finance, Environment Secretary and the Power Secretary. This committee was to “examine the proposals received from all concerned for Teesta Stage I, II, III, IV, VI and other mini and micro Hydel Projects” and submit a recommendation with the “objective of securing the target of the State Government to produce 3,000 MW power by the year 2007.” The top brass of GoS was given a deadline of just 15 days.
* May 2004 - Pawan Chamling and his party the Sikkim Democratic Front returned to power with a thumping majority
* September 2003 - The Administration Staff College of India had prepared the draft private power policy for Sikkim (which, to date has not been notified). Later, all this was junked as Chamling wanted to move fast.

###TO BE UPDATED...###

My take on Rajasthan Health Minister's criticism of Aamir Khan

Just read an article titled "No social work, Aamir Khan making money from Satyamev Jayate: Rajasthan Minister". Here's my take on it.

Article: Rajasthan Health Minister Dr Rajkumar Sharma lashed out at actor Aamir Khan for his campaign against female foeticide through his maiden TV venture Satyamev Jayate. In a statement, the State Health Minister accused Aamir Khan for sensitizing the female foeticide issue for just monetary gain and publicity. “The actor has been charging Rs 3 crore for the single episode and he has already made4 over Rs 20 crore,” Sharma told media persons.

Me: Aamir Khan is an actor/producer and is in the show business. It's his job to make money, nothing wrong in it. But through his cause if he's able to spread awareness, and even a few people change due to him or become a part of this social activity, that would be a great achievement. And he's not doing anything illegal.

Article:The health mistier also said that Aamir Khan would not be the part of campaign against the illegal killing of females in womb. His statement came after Aamir Khan met Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to set up fast track court for speedy trial of foeticide cases. Interestingly, the chief minister praised the actor’s effort for spreading awareness through the show but his cabinet minster accused him for defaming the state on the issue of illegal abortion. Sharma said that the state government has been working sincerely to curb the social taboo speedily.
 
Me: It would have been better for the Health Minister if he joined hands with Aamir Khan and the Chief Minister, who agrees with Aamir Khan, in this campaign. Even there are positive results, it would even help him in the next elections, not only him but his Chief Minister and his party too. Looks like the Health Minister is not happy because he was not invited by Aamir Khan or because he himself has been unsuccessful in curbing this problem though he claims that his government has been working sincerely.

Me: needless to say, I fully support Aamir Khan in his campaign to create awareness, and happy that it has started showing some effect. Rajasthan Chief Minister has announced "setting up of fast track court", and "Rajasthan High Court has approved it". Now the only thing remaining are the results. I request Aamir Khan to not just leave this campaign after the show ends on television, but follow up on this issue and get justice. Only then his campaign will be a success. Share your thoughts on this.