The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recently submitted a report confirming charges against Ashok Pawar, former chief engineer of the roads department, in the Rs 352-crore road works scam. The report was submitted to the special investigating team of the Mumbai Police post an internal inquiry conducted by the BMC. The civic body is yet to submit a report against Uday Murudkar, former chief engineer of the vigilance department who is facing suspension in connection with the scam.
Officials privy to the inquiry stated the BMC indicted Pawar on charges of lack of supervision in the road works leading to monetary loss for the BMC, and also on charges of not being able to frame a foolproof tender for the road works. An official from the enquiries department of the BMC said, “Rather than blaming the concerned official of corruption, which we have not fixed yet, he has been held responsible for not performing his duty correctly, which led to a scam of this magnitude to take place within his department.”
Meanwhile, a senior civic official dealing with the roads department confirmed that in spite of investigation by a Special Investigation Team, BMC officials would separately enquire into Pawar’s role in the scam.
Following Pawar’s letter to municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta requesting him to reconsider the suspension order, the BMC may set up an inquiry into Pawar’s role in the matter. This will include a hearing on behalf of Mr Mehta to determine if the accused official is guilty. The entire matter may take up to six months once it has commenced.
However, the official also said that the call on whether to set up the inquiry and the subsequent hearing depends on the commissioner himself. When The Asian Age contacted Mr Mehta for his comment, he refused to make an official comment.
Meanwhile, as part of the original inquiry into the road works scam, the BMC has examined 207 roads in the second phase of the inquiry
