Mumbai: The BMC’s inquiry report into the Jogeshwari plot controversy has recommended immediate suspension of four officials including three from the Development Plan (DP) and one from the legal department. Along with this, the report has also slammed the heads of both departments. It has proposed a full-fledged departmental inquiry against the chief of law department, whereas appropriate action has been recommended against the head of the DP department, holding him responsible for poor supervision.
Three officers from the DP – Ashok Shendge, executive engineer; Vijay Kumar Wagh, assistant engineer; and Ganesh Bapat, sub-engineer; and one from the law department – P.V. Naik, deputy law officer; have been suspended with immediate effect. A departmental inquiry has also been proposed against them.
Civic chief Ajoy Mehta, in his remarks, has said that the role of the chief law officer Jerold Xavier in the matter needs to be inquired into in detail as it appears that his conduct has not been beyond suspicion. “It is proposed that a full-fledged departmental inquiry be also conducted against him for his role both apparently seen and not very apparent today,” the report states.
Further, the report has also proposed a full-fledged departmental inquiry against two retired law officers – Nasir Shaikh and Ujjwala Deshpande – with serious charges levelled against them.
The report has also recommended a full-fledged departmental inquiry against four other officials – Bhaskar Choudhari, deputy chief engineer (retired); Vijay Patil, executive engineer; Sanjay Pandit, executive engineer; Arvikar, assistant engineer; and Ganesh Pawar, sub-engineer.
In the report Sanjay Darade, chief engineer DP department and deputy chief engineers Surendra Chavan, Vivek More and Mahendra Mule have also been found guilty of poor supervision.
On Tuesday, during the civic standing committee meeting chairman Yashwant Jadhav said, “This is an extremely serious issue. Though a primary report has been submitted, a full-fledged departmental inquiry into the matter should also be conducted.”
