RTI lays bare governor-CBI’s Adarsh communication

Thanks to the RTI Act, the “confidential” communication between governor K Sankaranarayanan and the CBI over permission to prosecute former CM Ashok Chavan was made available to the aam aadmi. All along, Raj Bhavan bureaucrats had taken a view that the communication was confidential and it was not possible to share such information.
Chavan had said he was beyond CBI’s jurisdiction as he was a public servant and could not be prosecuted without the governor’s nod.But officials refused to confirm whether the CBI had or had not sought the permission. After it was known that the CBI had indeed moved the Raj Bhavan, there was no confirmation on whether the governor had granted or rejected the permission. While a Raj Bhavan spokesperson claimed to be in the dark on the application status, the governor’s secretary, Vikaschandra Rastogi, remained non-committal on the decision. But while he was dodging the media, CBI sleuths in New Delhi announced that the governor had refused permission.
Then Raj Bhavan babus heaved a sigh of relief believing now that the correspondence and the order will be a secret; but the joy was short lived. A week after a court refused to drop Chavan’s name from the accused’s list, former information chief Shailesh Gandhi and BJP leader Kirit Somaiyya invoked RTI provisions. Now, the document is in the public domain.
Anna letter lands CM in spot
A letter by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has landed CM Prithviraj Chavan in a piquant situation. Hazare has asked the CM to ensure that Pimpri-Chinchwad civic chief Shrikar Pardesi is not shunted and that Pune divisional commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh be moved out immediately, following his alleged involvement in the purchase of huge tracts of land in Satara.
A month after Pardesi, a 1981 batch IAS officer, took over the reins of the civic body, he was entrusted with the task of implementing an SC order on demolition of 60,000 illegal and unauthorized structures in the township. Pardesi initiated steps for demolition, but realized it will take nearly 10 years to implement the order in letter and spirit. A section of NCP leaders from Pimpri-Chinchwad, a party stronghold, then approached deputy CM Ajit Pawar, seeking that Pardesi be shunted out. Pawar has assured to look into the matter.
Meanwhile Deshmukh, reportedly close to NCP leaders, has been posted in or around Pune ever since he joined service in 1995. He has allegedly bought the Satara lands in the name of his wife and son. The transactions are legal; he has also submitted specific details in reply to a government notice. A week ago, Pardesi and Deshmukh both met the CM. Chavan reportedly heard both, but has not taken any decision yet.
Satya Pal Singh bowls googly
Even as ex-Mumbai police chief Satya Pal Singh was hobnobbing with BJP leaders, the CM and home minister R R Patil were in the dark over his political movements. In fact, when Singh submitted his resignation to the home department, Patil was taken aback on being informed that the high-profile IPS official was going to join the BJP in presence of the party’s PM candidate Narendra Modi in Meerut.
After home secretary R K Singh, Satya Pal is the second high-ranking officer to join the BJP. But, R K Singh’s case, when home minister Sushilkumar Shinde had found out that the former was in touch with a section of senior BJP leaders and that he could join the party after retirement, (Shinde) not only stopped marking files to R K Singh, but entrusted the entire task to an officer on special duty Anil Goswami, who succeeded the then home secretary.
Police brass and senior bureaucrats feel there should be a code of conduct for IPS and IAS officials. Similar to the rule where an official is required to obtain government nod before joining a private sector and there is a two-year cooling period too, guidelines should be set for those wanting to join politics, says an ex-chief secretary.