The curious case of missing documents: Adarsh scam

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Maps and some survey sheets from 1872-1960 related to Adarsh land and surrounding Colaba areas have gone missing from the land records office of the city, the fourth such instance of files related to the controversial society going missing.

The two-member commission, probing the housing society scam, was told by Sanjay Dikhle, superintendent of city survey and land records, that historical maps of 1847 (the first time when Mumbai was mapped scientifically) and 1882 were “not available” in his office.

The maps of 1847 or 1882 could have shown whether the Adarsh plot existed at the time.

Also, “certain survey sheets from 1872-1960 pertaining to the Adarsh land and surrounding areas in Colaba are missing,” Dikhle told the probe commission on Friday.

However, survey maps of 1872 were available, he said.

This is the fourth instance of key files related to Adarsh high-rise going missing. First from the urban development department, subsequently from the ministry of environment and forests and then from the Army headquarters here.