Government to probe charges against Radheshyam Mopalwar

Mumbai: The Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday promised to launch a probe into the alleged conversation between MSRDC chief Mr Radheshyam Mopalwar and a third party, which was telecast on a Marathi news channel, within a month. The issue was raised in both houses of the state legislature and is connected to the alleged disproportionate assets of the IAS officer, who is currently heading the CM’s pet project, the Mumbai-Nagpur super expressway.

Despite the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) referring to complaints received seeking a probe into his alleged disproportionate assets, the Maharashtra government is yet to initiate any action against him. The government was aware about Mr Mopalwar’s alleged disproportionate assets since January 2017 as the General Administration Department (GAD), which is headed by the CM, had received an online complaint against the officer from the PMO, through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) in December 2016.

In a ‘confidential’ letter dated February 3, 2017, addressed to the Director General of Income Tax (Inv), Verghese Joseph, the deputy director of Income Tax (Vig, HQ), directed a detailed copy of the allegations against Mr Mopalwar along with two CDs describing his alleged ‘benami’ properties as well as his telephonic conversations of dubious nature.

The SP from Central Bureau of Investigation’s Anti Corruption Bureau shot a letter on February 15, 2017 to the DG (ACB) of Maharashtra police, saying – “Please find enclosed herewith a complaint in original received from Shri Anil Anna Gote, MLA, Dhule, which is self explanatory.” He asked the DG to take necessary action as the ‘suspect is an IAS officer of Maharashtra government.’ On February 20, 2017, under secretary, Mr K C Raju of the Department of Personnel & Training sent a letter to the chief secretary of Maharashtra, regarding the complaint of amassing disproportionate wealth worth Rs 800 crore, filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Mr Gote. “The GoM is requested to kindly examine the matter and to furnish a factual report to this department immediately,” said the letter.

Apart from this, even state home ministry has asked the Maharashtra DGP to take action against the officer, via-letter dated January 9, 2017. The letter refers to a complaint from Mr Gote, where he had mentioned that Mr Mopalwar was involved in kidnapping, robbing and torturing one Satish Mangle. No action has been taken since.