It seems as if the promoters of Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society suddenly went into hiding right before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials conducted searches at their residences.

The society's General Secretary RC Thakur and retired Brigadier MM Wachu, two main accused in the housing scam, were nowhere to be found when the CBI's search teams paid them a visit yesterday.

Officials believe that they may have had an inkling of the impending raid, given they disappeared right before the CBI could knock on their doors.

"They must have feared arrest on Sunday as it is difficult to secure bail that day. So they decided to go underground for a while," said a CBI official.

"They might resurface on Monday and try to obtain an anticipatory bail," he added.u00a0

Yesterday morning, a CBI team visited Thakur's home, only to find him absent. "His family told us that he had left home Saturday evening saying that he was going to the society's office, and did not return.
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His wife, son, and daughter-in-law were present in the house," an official said.

The search team reportedly seized letters and documents found at the residence. Meanwhile, a CBI team is also said to have visited the native residence of Thakur in a Bihar village.

Wachu eluded the CBI in a similar manner, leaving no clue behind as to where he is.

If the officials do not surface by tomorrow, the CBI may issue notices to them to present themselves before the investigating body.

The raids come a day after the CBI filed an FIR naming 13 people, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.