Adarsh scam: No excuses, give results: Bombay High Court to CBI

The Bombay high court took the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to task for the second consecutive day in relation to the missing files of the Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society, the court has asked the investigating agency to show some results instead of giving excuses.

“We are very displeased. You (CBI) please investigate properly and get results. Reasons like the officers being busy cannot be accepted,” remarked justice Ranjana Desai.

The division bench of justices Desai and RV More was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Mahendra Singh, seeking a probe in the missing files which had gone missing from the Mantralaya.

DN Salvi, counsel for the CBI, informed the court that they have recovered 11 hard disks from the urban development department of the Mantralaya.

However, the hard disks have not been sent to the forensics science laboratory (FSL). After being taken to task by the court, the CBI said that it will send the hard disks within a week to the FSL in Hyderabad.

The counsel for the CBI Salvi informed the court that they have managed to retrieve some pages of the missing files from the hard disk.

Justice Desai questioned, “Why have the hard disks not been sent to FSL if they were seized a month back? Usually the delays happen at the FSL’s end but in this case the investigating agency itself is delaying.”

On the four accused being granted bail justice Desai remarked, “This is the reason why you (CBI) have not been able to file the chargesheet on time thus resulting in the four accused getting bail.”

After the CBI assurance that it will send the hard disks within a week, justice Desai observed: “We expect the CBI to ensure that the FSL report is obtained expeditiously. Each step should be taken properly by the investigating agency in such cases.”

“Express our anxiety to the FSL at Hyderabad too,” the court further added. The court has directed CBI to file a status report by September 5.