Close on the heels of a PIL against former Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh for amassing disproportionate assets, a private complaint has been filed against NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, in a court in neighbouring Thane for allegedly failing to disclose in his affidavit at the time of election that he owned a flat in the controversial Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai. The complaint, filed by social activist Pravin Wategaonkar before a magistrate’s court in Thane, states that Avhad, who owned a flat in Adarsh, did not disclose the same in his affidavit accompanying the nomination form. ‘The affidavit dated September 24, 2009, furnished by Awhad to the Maharashtra State Election Commission along with his nomination for election to 2009 state assembly does not disclose ownership of flat in Adarsh,’ the complaint states. Accordingly, Awhad was allotted flat number 601 in the 31-storey Adarsh building before 2004, and the MLA made several payments to Society from July 2004 to November 2010 by cheques, totalling Rs 60,37,208, towards the flat’s price. The complaint seeks Awhad’s prosecution under section 177 (furnishing false information), 181 (flase statement on oath to a public servant), 199 (false statement made in declaration) of the Indian Penal Code, and also under the Representation of People Act.
The court is likely to hear the case on March nine. ‘The requirement for candidates to furnish such information on affidavit is mandatory and not merely an empty formality,’ the complaint states. Awhad deliberately furnished incomplete information as he was not supposed to be a beneficiary of the allotment in Adarsh Society, as the Society was meant for the kin of the martyrs of Kargil war, Mr Wategaonkar alleges.
