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Chavan kin got flat after being disqualified MUMBAI: Maharashtra's revenue department played a role in the inclusion of chief minister Ashok Chavan's sister-in-law Seema Sharma as a member in Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society. The department intervened after the city collector's office termed his wife's sister ineligible for membership on June 12, 2003. Sharma's application was first forwarded by office-bearers of Adarsh society to the collector on August 23, 2002. As the society is located on a plot allotted by the state government, eligibility of members has to be ratified by the city collector's office. Chavan was then state revenue minister. A Life Insurance Corporation employee, Sharma had applied for a 650 sq ft apartment. Collector Pradeep Vyas, however, rejected it during scrutiny on June 12, saying she did not fit the income criteria set by the revenue department. He had also questioned the lack of details on her present accommodation. Vyas had placed Sharma in the non-government employee category. As per eligibility norms listed in a government resolution dated July 9, 1999, the monthly income limit for a 650 sq ft house for those not in government service was Rs 12,500. TOI has a copy of Vyas's official communication to the society, which was sent on the same day, where he justified the rejection on grounds that ``she was found to have a monthly income of more than Rs 12,500 and hence was not eligible''. The collector also passed similar remarks against applications of 23 others on the 71-member list. In September 2004, Adarsh society referred her case to the revenue department, which was then headed by Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar. On September 22, 2004, the department directed the collector's office to reconsider Sharma's case. Since LIC was a government undertaking, she should be treated in the category of employees with central government-run boards, it said. No income ceiling is specified for this category. The circular was signed by J K Gharat, undersecretary, revenue and forest department. Interestingly, the department did not issue clarifications with regard to most of the remaining applicants. Questions over Sharma's membership, however, remained until July 2008 with the collector's office seeking clarifications on the category in which she could be deemed eligible. She was finally inducted as a member the same year. During his tenure as a collector between 2002-2005, Vyas had raised several questions regarding the membership of private individuals (non-government employees) on the basis of income criteria, domicile certificate and details of accommodation. He rejected applications of at least 11 aspirants, many of whom were later inducted as members. Following the controversy, Sharma has now offered to surrender her flat. Back |
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