Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Monday blamed bureaucrats for irregularities in Adarsh Housing society scam. Chavan reappeared before the two-member Judicial Commission probing the scam in Mumbai.

During his questioning he said that the file regarding allotment of land to Adarsh housing society was put up before him with a ‘please process’ remark from the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

He said that any letter marked by the chief minister always gets the highest priority and that he accordingly marked the letter to the then deputy secretary of the revenue department to put up immediately.

Chavan said that he was guided by then principal secretary of revenue department DK Shankaran regarding the conditional 'Letter of Intent' issued to Adarsh society.

He also said that the details of the membership of society were not brought to his knowledge. Chavan added that he had signed the letter of intent in good faith.

When Commission's counsel Dipan Merchant asked Chavan if he knew any of the members of the society, Chavan's lawyer Amit Desai raised an objection, saying he would not answer the question at this stage as the panel is presently looking into the issue of its membership.

Desai argued that the commission can summon Chavan again when it is examining witnesses on the issue of membership.