CBI arrests its own lawyer, Cong ex-MLC in Adarsh case

07 Mar 2012

The Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai got messier on Tuesday with the Central Bureau of Investigation arresting its own lawyer, as well as a former Congress legislator, his son, and a fourth others, on charges of attempted bribery.

Former MLC Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, who has already been named in the first information report (FIR) in the case by the CBI, was arrested along with his son Kailash Gidwani, retainer counsel for CBI Mandar Goswamy and tax consultant and lawyer J K Jagiasi. More arrests are expected today.

Gidwani, one of the 14 politicians, bureaucrats and retired army officers charged in the scam, and his son have been accused of paying Jagiasi Rs1.25 crore, of which Rs25 lakh was given to senior CBI counsel Goswami.

Kanhaiyalal allegedly wanted Goswami to keep him updated on the probe. He also wanted the CBI charges against him diluted.

All four were remanded in custody till 16 March.

The Gidwanis and Goswamy have been booked under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Jagiasi has been booked under sections 120(B) of the IPC and 8, 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.