HC dismisses Adarsh Society plea for de-freezing bank accounts

Mumbai, Jul 27 (PTI) The Bombay High Court Wednesday
dismissed a petition filed by the controversial Adarsh Housing
Society seeking de-freezing of its bank accounts.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had in
January frozen two bank accounts of the Society after
registering a case against 14 accused including several
members of the society.
A division bench of justices Ranjana Desai and R V
More was hearing a petition filed by the Society seeking
de-freezing of its two bank accounts with the State Bank of
India, Cuffe Parade and Wodehouse Road, to bear legal expenses
and day-to-day expenditure of the Society. The accounts have
deposits approximately worth Rs 2 crore.
"We are rejecting the petition," Justice Desai said.
Counsels for Adarsh - senior counsel V A Thorat and
advocate Satish Maneshinde - had argued that they have to pay
approximately Rs 1.5 crore towards property tax to the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
"We also have to pay the lawyers for the pending
litigation," Thorat had argued.
The Central Bureau of Investigation had opposed the
petition, saying the amount deposited could be part of the
ill-gotten wealth, which is still under investigation.