Congress today dubbed as "sheer political vendetta" the sanction to CBI to prosecute former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh scam case and warned Modi government that it would not be cowed down by launching of such "false" criminal cases against its leaders.
"It is sheer political vendetta. Congress Party will not be cowed down by the spate of such false criminal cases against its leaders," party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said.
Earlier, another party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi insisted that Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao's decision to give sanction to CBI to prosecute Chavan in the case is "fully judicially reviewable" and is "legally weak".
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"Governor's action, especilly after such delay, amounts to review of earlier decision and would be fully judicially reviewable....It is fully challengable and legally weak decision," he said.
He was reacting to the Governor's sanction days after the BJP-led government in the state recommended action against the Congress leader.
In December 2013, the then Governor K Sankaranarayanan had refused sanction to CBI to prosecute Chavan in the Adarsh housing scam, leaving the agency with no choice but to close the case against him.
The Maharashtra Cabinet had recently recommended to the Governor that he should grant sanction to CBI to prosecute Chavan in the case.
Chavan had then dubbed the move as "vendetta" by the BJP-led government.
Chavan, a Lok Sabha member from Nanded and MPCC president, had to step down as Chief Minister after the scam surfaced in 2010. He was among the 12 persons chargesheeted by the probe agency in connection with the case.
CBI had alleged that Chavan suggested inclusion of civilian members in Adarsh Housing Society, meant for war veterans and widows of defence personnel, to secure flats for his relatives in the plush complex situated at Colaba in south Mumbai.
