Why does the Maharashtra Governor not give sanction to prosecute Ashok Chavan?

Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan has turned down the Central Bureau of Investigation's plea to allow prosecution of former chief minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam. While the reasons for not granting prosecution sanction were not explained, the agency is now left with no choice but to close the case against the former CM.

Ashok Chavan, who had to resign from the post of chief minister after the scam surfaced, was among the 12 who were chargesheeted by the agency in connection with the case.

"We do not have any legal remedy now. It is for the court to look into the matter," CBI Director Ranjit Sinha told PTI.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil refused to comment on the developments.

Drawing a parallel to the Uttar Pradesh Taj Corridor case, a senior functionary in the Maharashtra government said: "In UP, the governor had turned down CBI's request for prosecution against former chief minister Mayawati for the Taj Corridor case."

The development comes a day before the state government's decision to convene a Cabinet meeting on Thursday to take a formal decision on placing the Adarsh report in winter session of the state legislature. Sources in the government said Chavan was planning to place the report before the Cabinet on Thursday morning.

"It would pave the way for placing the report in the Assembly. However, there is ambiguity over whether the government will place the action taken report along with the Adarsh report," said a source.

Earlier, Opposition leaders both Houses raised the matter questioning on what basis did the governor deny CBI the permission to prosecute Ashok Chavan. State BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis said, "The government is certainly engaged in the cover-up exercise to protect the former CM. They will have to explain the reasons for disallowing further proceedings against him."