Radheshyam Mopalwar tapes tampered?

Mumbai: In some relief for tainted IAS officer Radheshyam Mopalwar, highly placed sources in Mantralaya said that the probe committee appointed by the government has found that the audio clips allegedly featuring the former Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) chief may have been tampered with. The opposition has cried foul and alleged that the government is protecting the officer.

The committee’s report will be submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in a couple of days.

Mopalwar was allegedly heard demanding a bribe in the audio tapes, following which he was sent on leave. The committee has submitted the report to the government, and soon it will be presented before the chief minister. Highly placed sources in Mantralaya said that the report might bring some relief to the officer. “The tapes examined by the committee members and the forensic laboratory are likely to have been tampered with. The recordings are in pieces and sounds like only edited parts were released,” the sources in Mantralaya told the Asian Age.

However, the Congress alleged that the government is trying to protect Mopalwar. “It was only after we pressurised the government, the inquiry committee was set up. The government is definitely in favour of the Mopalwar because he was connected to the Samruddhi Mahamarg project. There are many more officials who are involved in the Samruddhi Mahamarg project and hence the government is protecting Mopalwar to prevent further expose,” Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.

Mopalwar was in charge of the CM’s ambitious Samruddhi Mahamarg project which will connect Mumbai to Nagpur. He came under the scanner after an audio clip was released in which he was allegedly heard demanding a bribe. Bowing to the pressure from the opposition, Mopalwar was sent on leave.

The probe committee comprising of additional commissioner of Police R.D. Shinde and deputy commissioner of Police Parag Manere, was headed by Johny Joseph. They examined over 30 tapes and also sought help from news channels which aired the audio clips and submitted its report to the government last week.

Tapes Row

• Mr Mopalwar was the managing director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
• Mopalwar was in-charge of the CM's ambitious Samruddhi Mahamarg project which will connect Mumbai to Nagpur.
• After his alleged audio clip with a middleman regarding a property issue went viral, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had to announce an inquiry.
• Mopalwar was sent on a leave.