Prakash Mehta announces inquiry in SRA scam
The minister assured that the pending SRA work will be completed in 15 days.
MUMBAI: Housing minister Prakash Mehta on Wednesday announced an inquiry by a special officer against a builder in a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scam at Santacruz.
The minister assured that the pending work of the SRA will be completed in 15 days. Bhartiya Janata Party MLA Ashish Shelar had alleged in the case that the builder took '200 crore from the LIC as a loan to complete the SRA project and did not return.
He said that there are more builders in Mumbai who have taken loan of around '8000 crore from banks in lieu of SRA project lands. Mr Shelar even sat in a well as a protest, as he wanted some action against the builder.
Alleging scam of thousands of crore rupees, Mr Shelar demanded inquiry from Enforcement Directorate (ED) or Special Fraud Investigation officials. “The builder cheated the slum dwellers in Santacruz area and siphoned off '200 crore. The money he had lifted from LIC for the project. Now, he has expressed that he cannot return the money cannot to LIC. The Government is shirking its responsibility on the issue,” the minister said.
The BJP leader and Mumbai unit president said that there are more such cases. “The builders have taken '8,000 crore to '10,000 crore from the banks in name of SRA projects. Ultimately, these lands go to the banks,” he added. Mr Shelar even sat in the well before the Speaker as he wanted some strong action against the builder.
In the reply, Prakash Mehta said “A special officer would be appointed to probe the matter in 15 days. Also, the work of the SRA will begin in 15 days. If the LIC has been cheated in the matter then the inquiry would be given to the Special Fraud Investigation officials.”