Gandhi asks Pranab, Antony to probe housing scam

NEW DELHI - Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday asked Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to probe the allotment of flats meant for families of war heroes and report back to her.

Her directive came after Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan offered his resignation to her over the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society controversy in Mumbai.

“Chavan has offered to resign. But a decision on the matter will be taken after the two-member committee submits its report to the Congress president,” party general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters here.

Earlier, Chavan met Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence.

Emerging out of the meeting, Chavan said he welcomed the probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the defence ministry into the scam.

“I have explained all details about the housing society controversy to the Congress president. I have also offered to resign,” Chavan said.

His mother-in-law and two other relatives are among those alleged to have been allotted flats in the housing society meant for families of Kargil war martyrs.