A day after rapping several Maharashtra government departments for failing to submit documents in connection with the Adarsh Housing Society scam, the commission probing the matter on Tuesday pulled up the Union law ministry after its senior lawyer and official skipped the panel's proceedings in Mumbai.
The two-member judicial commission, set up by the Maharashtra government to probe the multi-crore scam, had asked ministry of law and justice, ministry of defence, state environment department and local civic transport body BEST to submit all relevant documents on Tuesday.
However, both the senior counsel and joint secretary of the law and justice department were absent and only a junior lawyer was present.
"What is the reason for not attending the proceedings when specific directions were given to remain present and submit all documents? You (junior lawyer) could have at least taken instructions from the senior lawyer as to whether the documents would be submitted today or not," retired high court Judge J A Patil, who is heading the commission, said.
The panel, set up in January, was expected to submit its report within three months. However, due to logistical glitches, the commission began its work in February and hence sought extension of three more months.
It is now expected to submit its report by June 7. The panel was constituted to look into the matters of land ownership of Adarsh Society, if the land was reserved for Kargil war heroes, reservation of flats, expansion of adjoining road, change in reservation of the BEST plot, alleged role of bureaucrats and violations of CRZ norms.
