What steps would be taken against Khadse? HC asks Maha govt

The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government to inform it tomorrow about steps it proposes to take regarding allegations against senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse of involvement in an illegal land deal.
A division bench headed by Justice R V More directed the government to submit a report tomorrow on steps taken or proposed to take to start a police probe.
The government sought a week's time to file a report but the bench refused saying this was the last chance given to the state to inform what action it proposed to take into the matter.
This is for the second time the court had rapped the government for delay in initiating probe into the matter. On January 24, the court had asked government to file a report within few days while giving last opportunity to act, but the state has so far not informed the steps it wants to take.

The judges had earlier refused to accept government's submission that it could not initiate probe by police as all the documents pertaining to the case were with the judicial committee which had been set up to look into the allegations.
The court had said the government could have asked the committee for copies of the documents.

It was hearing a plea filed by Pune-based activist Hemant Gavande, alleging, among other things, that Khadse, misused his position as Revenue Minister, had purchased a three-acre plot in an industrial zone at Bhosri near Pune in the name of his kin for Rs 3.75 crore against the market price of Rs 40 crore.

Gavande, who made the allegations in public first, filed the petition seeking a CBI probe.
Khadse, who was number 2 in Maharashtra cabinet, stepped down last June in the wake of allegations.