Fire five bureaucrats: BJP MLA

Mumbai: After chief minister Devendra Fadnavis sacked MSRDC MD Radheshyam Mopalwar, the demand for removal of more officers is growing. BJP MLA Anil Gote is asking for the resignation of five other officers, who are under the scanner of different agencies over allegations of disproportionate assets, money-laundering and procedural irregularities. These five officers are deputed in MSRDC, an agency that is developing the state’s ambitious  Samruddhi Mahamarg project.

Mr Mopalwar’s removal has been taken as CM Fadnavis’s big action on corruption allegations. BJP MLA Anil Gote had demanded a probe into Mr Mopalwar’s disproportionate assets to various agencies. When details of the house were revealed, CM Fadnavis announced action in the last week.

The demand for action on other officers is being made now. Joint Managing Director (One) of MSRDC Kiran Kurundkar was probed for money laundering through Kolkata based company ARNOLD. Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) probed additional collector Jagannath Virkar when he was in the district collector office in Raigad.

The final conclusion of both the cases is yet to be known.

Chief engineer Ulhas Debadwar was earlier associated with Samriddhi Mahamarg project but now has been transferred to Nagpur Municipal Corporation. His involvement in the Maharashtra Sadan scam is under scanner. Chief engineer Anil Gaikwad was in jail for the same Maharashtra Sadan scam case and is now out on bail. Deputy Collector Revati Gaikar’s probe is going on about the complaint made by ex MLA Vivek Pandeet when Ms Gaikar was SDO in Bhiwandi. This probe on Ms Gaikar is still incomplete.

Looking at the details of these officers in MSRDC, Mr Gote has demanded to remove them from current positions. “These officers are behaving like they have the support of chief minister. They are not even listening to farmers whose land is being taken for this project; they are not bothered about environmental concerns. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis must act against all of them and should be kept out of the project,” demanded Mr Gote.