Housing scam in Powai uses CM’s name

Mumbai: The state has ordered an inquiry into a bogus scheme orchestrated by unknown developers for affordable housing in Powai, inviting applications from the public for flats allocated at cheaper rates using the name of the chief minister.

The applications had been distributed to people who gathered at Mantralaya on Tuesday to submit them. The forms were reportedly addressed to CM Prithviraj Chavan requesting him to allocate the flat in the said scheme at an affordable rate of Rs 54,000 for a 400 sq ft flat. The state issued a statement making it clear that the applications are bogus.

“A bogus application has been prepared addressed to the CM in the name of Powai Area Development Scheme for affordable housing. There is no such government scheme. The police have been asked to make an inquiry,” the statement said.
Courtesy:
Chittaranjan Tembhekar
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MLA Sunil Kedar found guilty in NDCCB scam, ordered to deposit Rs 300 crore in the Bank

The scam pertains to purchase-sale of Government Bonds. The Cooperation Department has found Sunil Kedar, the former Chairman of the NDCCB, guilty in the scam after 11 years of gruelling and sustained probe into the massive irregularities.

Nagpur News: The Congress MLA from Saoner Sunil Kedar, the key accused in the Rs 150 crore scam pertaining to purchase-sale of Government Bonds, has been ordered to pay Rs 300 crore for causing loss to Nagpur District Central Co-operative Bank (NDCCB).

The Cooperation Department has found Sunil Kedar, the former Chairman of the NDCCB, guilty in the scam after 11 years of gruelling and sustained probe into the massive irregularities. Kedar has been ordered to deposit Rs 129.31 crore with 12 per cent interest per month the total of which stands at Rs 300 crore including the principal amount and the interest.

The scam got exposed in 2002. The Cooperation Department has also blamed the General Manager Ashok Chaudhary and other Directors of NDCCB for the scam. The Investigating Officer, in his probe report, has recommended legal actions against the guilty if they fail to deposit the amounts.

The Special Auditor (Class 1) Yashwant Bagde gave his final order on Thursday (November 28) after 11 years of investigation into the scam. According to the order, Rs 25 crore would be recovered from the General Manager Ashok Chaudhary. Moreover, the former Vice-Chairman of the Bank Asha Mahajan, former Directors Shyamrao Dhawad, Kusum Kimmatkar, Morebaji Nimje, Rameshkumar Nimje, and Santosh Chore have been ordered to pay Rs 1020 each as fines.

The Saoner MLA Sunil Kedar has been ordered to deposit 90 per cent of the scam amount in the Bank on account of recovery of loss. Sunil Kedar is also facing criminal proceedings in a court for the scam.

THE EXACT SCAM:

• The MLA Sunil Kedar invested the NDCCB money in the Gilt through Mumbai’s Home Trade. 
• Initially, after receiving the invested money back, the Bank invested the money for purchasing the Government Bonds but the money never came back. 
• In the meanwhile, Sunil Kedar became Chairman of the NDCCB in 2000 and, in the first ever General Body meeting, he got the proposal regarding utilization of Bank money in the purchase-sale of Government Bonds passed in the meeting. 
• This way, Kedar misused his powers and caused huge loss to the Bank.

Courtesy:
Published On: Thu, Nov 28th, 2013
News Today | By Nagpur Today
http://www.nagpurtoday.in/mla-sunil-kedar-found-guilty-in-ndccb-scam-ordered-to-deposit-rs-300-crore-in-the-bank/

Kedar trying to ditch order on Nagpur Co-op bank scam; demand to seize his assets raised

Even as the former state Congress president and senior party leader Ranjeet Deshmukh wrote a letter to the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, alleging leniency in taking action against Congress MLA Sunil Kedar to recover Rs 299 crore allegedly bungled in Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank scam, Kedar has been reportedly cooking up tricks to defy the recent order issued by the department of cooperatives. The department of cooperatives in its order has asked Kedar to pay up the dues allegedly siphoned off during the tenure of Kedar as the chairman of the bank.

In his letter Deshmukh demanded immediate seizure of assets owned by Kedar in order to recover the dues. However Kedar has been applying tactics to buy time and calm down the fire, just to avoid making payment.

Sources sent out strong indications that the Congress MLA Kedar may cannily evolve strategy to ditch the dues. He most probably would secure a stay and thus defeat the intention of the order, the sources said.

Kedar is reported to have already moved an appeal before the office of the minister of cooperation.

The action against Kedar has been initiated under section 88 of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Act. This stipulates that the management has to be held responsible if there is a fraud or negligence in a cooperative bank. Sources keeping tabs on the affair assert if Kedar’s appeal is rejected by the cooperatives’ minister, the bank can move the High Court in the matter.

The bank’s chairman says he would soon hold a meeting and the recovery order would be a prominently discussed in the meeting.
Courtesy:
Published On: Thu, Dec 12th, 2013
News Today | By Nagpur Today
http://www.nagpurtoday.in/kedar-trying-to-ditch-order-on-nagpur-co-op-bank-scam-demand-to-seize-his-assets-raised/

Irrigation Scam : Ajit Pawar ‘pushed for SIT probe’, got his way

Pawar Sr Wanted Judicial Probe, CM A Shorter Deadline
Water resources minister Sunil Tatkare on Monday said the special investigation team (SIT) that will probe the alleged irrigation scam “will certainly go beyond what the white paper (on state irrigation projects) established. But how much and how far is something yet to be decided”.

The announcement of the probe in the legislative assembly followed hectic backchannel negotiations between chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar. Sources said the two were in constant touch since Friday night, trying to shape an agreeable solution for the opposition as well as Pawar’s nephew and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who has been at the centre of the irrigation scam row.

Sharad Pawar, sources said, wanted a judicial probe, while Ajit Pawar insisted on an SIT headed by a former civil servant. A judicial probe would have “meant an open invitation for anyone to file an affidavit with a complaint or allegation. Moreover, it would have dragged on at its own pace,” explained a senior NCP functionary. So, for Ajit Pawar, an SIT was considered preferable.

Meanwhile, Chavan sought a three month deadline for the probe, but Ajit Pawar was adamant on a six-month time limit. “Ajit felt that by appointing an SIT and a head of his choice, it would be easier to stay away from the judiciary,” said a senior minister.

The parleys between the parties crested on Monday, with a long closeddoor meeting attended by Chavan, Ajit Pawar and Tatkare. The coalition partners agreed that an announcement must be made before the courts take notice of the issue. Public interest litigations in the matter are likely to come up before the judiciary soon. “The government was of the opinion that someone must break the ice and end the deadlock in the assembly. What has happened over the last week (disorder in the two Houses of the legislature) has hurt our image,” said a top Congress minister.

Though at this point an SIT seems like an eyewash, given that it is unlikely to receive any powers to take punitive or other action, the opposition is hoping the judiciary will take note of the investigation. “If the judiciary decides to monitor the SIT at the behest of the petitioners, it could still spell trouble for Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare,” said a BJP leader.

While welcoming the government decision to set up an SIT, several opposition leaders demanded that either Ajit Pawar resign from the deputy CM’s post or be denied other portfolios. “For the sake of a fair probe, I request the chief minister to not give any portfolios to Ajit Pawar until it is over,” said leader of the opposition Eknath Khadse.
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Sharad Vyas | TNN
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SITUATION NOW ON IRRIGATION SCAM
IN EXPERT HANDS
Madhavrao Chitale, the SIT chief, has served as secretary, Union ministry of water resources, and chairman of the Central Water Commission, besides heading other panels on irrigation. He’s considered an expert on the subject. “Every year the irrigation department publishes a status report. I feel it’s obvious for the state to provide water from irrigation schemes to industries and urban areas,” he said. Sharad Pawar had defended Ajit Pawar on similar lines. Even before the panel has been finalized, activist Medha Patkar’s group criticized Chitale’s appointment. “It would have been appropriate to have a retired judge as SIT head,” said Patkar’s aide Suniti Su Ra.

POWER POINTS GOVT-ORDERED SIT VS COURT-APPOINTED SIT
Both discharge similar functions, but the first will file a report to the govt and the second to the judiciary

A court-appointed SIT has a high degree of credibility as its investigations are monitored by the court and it is unlikely to come under any pressure. In the past, court-appointed SITs have been able to book high-ranking state officials and police officers

One of the best examples is the Bombay HC-appointed SIT headed by retired director-general of police SS Puri that probed the multi-crore Telgi fake stamp paper scam in 2003. It went on to arrest top IPS officers and politicians

The govt, in case the report is not to its taste, can put it away in cold storage or even reject it

Much of an SIT’s efficacy depends on its terms and references, yet to be announced for the irrigation probe. Also crucial is whether the investigation team will comprise a police officer, who can register a criminal complaint and arrest the accused

In the irrigation scam, the govt has appointed a retired bureaucrat, Chitale, to head the SIT. He has no criminal investigation background and it is feared he may not be able to probe the conspiracy

STATUS OF EARLIER INVESTIGATIONS
Vadnere Committee - One-man panel probed hike in tender cost of Gosikhurd and other Vidarbha Irrigation Devpt Corp (VIDC) projects.
Action Taken: Departmental inquiries against 45 VIDC engineers and officers. D P Shirke, who was executive director of VIDC, sent on leave.

Mendhegiri Committee - Panel probing cracks in Gosikhurd canal built by BJP MLC’s firm says shoddy work.
Action Taken: Over a year later, rebuilding has begun.

Kulkarni Committee - Panel found 11 barrages under Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Devpt Corp being built beyond storage capacity, would cause Rs 2,452-cr loss.

Action Taken: Report with government, no action yet.

Upase Committee - Panel found faulty design at VIDC’s Lower Penganga project. Though aquaductcum-barrage was not required, it was sanctioned and work order issued
Action Taken: Tenders cancelled

CAG on water resources dept
Improper planning and change in design resulted in cost escalation of Rs 7,126.52 crore in 49 projects between 1997 and 1999
Action Taken: State PAC discussed it, no action taken

CAG on VIDC
Unsatisfactory project management
Action Taken: Discussed by PAC, no action taken
White Paper on Irrigation
Stated status of projects and blamed cost escalation on delay in land acquisition
Action Taken: Tabled in legislature. Opposition slammed it. Attempted whitewash led to SIT.

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MINISTERS UNDER COURT SCANNER

In the irrigation scam, the government has ordered an SIT probe by a retired bureaucrat, a move that many are describing as an eyewash because it is unlikely to receive any powers to take punitive action. A far more damaging scrutiny is likely of allegations against some minister against whom cases are pending with courts across the state. TOI takes a look.

VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT - MEDICAL EDUCATION MINISTER (MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS THEN)

ALLEGATION | 2002 scam in pension scheme for widows, destitutes and farm labourers.

COURT STATUS | Aurangabad bench of Bombay high court has issued a notice asking why the state is yet to respond to an anti-corruption bureau request for sanction to prosecute Gavit


SUNIL TATKARE - WATER RESOURCES MINISTER

ALLEGATIONS | BJP leader Kirit Somaiya claims Tatkare and his family members have amassed disproportionate assets totalling several crores. A multi-crore scam in the irrigation department

COURT STATUS | Somaiya has moved PIL in Bombay HC. PILs filed before the Nagpur and Aurangabad benches of the HC on irrigation

TATKARE SAYS | PILs are politically motivated


CHHAGAN BHUJBAL - PWD MINISTER

ALLEGATIONS | PIL claims Bhujbal’s trust MET, which runs the Bhujbal Knowledge City in Nashik, defrauded students and government into paying excess fees to the tune of Rs 8 crore in two years since 2010. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleges Bhujbal allegedly received kickbacks for favours granted by his ministry, particularly for Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi


COURT STATUS |PILs pending


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IRRIGATION SCAM : NCP may seek judicial probe to keep SIT at bay

Mumbai: In a politically strategic move, the NCP has decided to submit a proposal for a high-level judicial probe into the multi-crore irrigation scam in the state to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Although Chavan declined comment, a senior Congress minister told TOI on Sunday that the NCP had sought legal opinion on entrusting the probe to a panel set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act to end the weeklong stalemate over the scandal in both houses of the state legislature.

The minister pointed out that six public interest litigations against deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and water resources minister Sunil Tatkare were pending before the Bombay high court, while leader of opposition Eknath Khadse is in the process of filing two more PILs on gross misuse of power and corruption in the irrigation department.

“The NCP fears that the court may order setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) or entrust the probe to the CBI as urged by the petitioners. In that event, the NCP will be at the receiving end. To avoid such a situation, the NCP itself will propose a judicial probe. If the proposal is accepted, then it will inform the court accordingly. In that event, the chances of setting up a SIT will be lower,’’ the minister said. Irrigation white paper has ‘outdated, misleading’ stats

Mumbai: Lies, damned lies and statistics.
The controversial white paper on irrigation projects produced by the state water resources ministry is littered with outdated, confusing and allegedly misleading statistics. Data pertaining to over half a dozen major projects are at least a decade old and widely differ from information submitted by the ministry to the state assembly eight months ago.

Most projects are in drought-prone Vidarbha region. A senior department official said the white paper seems to have exaggerated the irrigation potential and actual land which came under irrigation.

A detailed analysis of the two-volume report released by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on November 29 shows old data was used to boost figures of land under irrigation.

The discrepancies are glaring, as in the case of the Wan project in Akola district of Vidarbha. The white paper boasts that the irrigated land due to this project is 14,428 hectares. It also admits that this figure is for the financial year 2003-04.

However, the programme estimate booklet presented in the budget session of the state assembly early this year,issilenton theirrigated land and shows it as ‘nil’. “Even if the figures in the white paper are correct, it is misleading to give data whichis a decadeold,’’ sources said. The department has to give updated figures every year, they added.

In the Upper Wardha project in Amravati district, the white paper shows a total irrigated area of 36,119 hectarestill2007-08.On theother hand, the programme estimates booklet pegged the figure at 31,760 hectares in 2010-11. “This is a total farce. The white paper relied on fiveyear-old data. Moreover, the figure in the estimates booklet shows a smaller area under irrigation,’’ department officials said.

The Arunavati project in Yavatmal district is another where major discrepancies have been found.

The white paper pegs the land under irrigation at 10,229 hectares, although the programme estimates booklet gives a figure of 670 hectares as on 2009-11.

Differences in expenditure figures have also been found in the Pench project in Nagpur. While the white paper saidonly Rs293 crorewas spent till March 2012, the estimates booklet pegged it at Rs 323 crore till March 2011.

The length of the right bank main canal of the Gosikhurd national irrigation project also varies in the two government documents. The white paper puts its length at 99 km while the estimates booklet shows it at 107 km. TOI had reported how the white paper claimed the quantum of landbroughtunder irrigation by the Gosikhurd project was 5,279 hectares, but the programme estimates booklet puts the figure at1,582hectares. Similarly, the white paper claimed expenditure on the Gosikhurd project was Rs 6,073 crore, but the programme estimates booklet puts the figure at Rs 6,609 crore.

Interestingly, the white paper does not reveal the actual figures of land under irrigation in western Maharashtra. It only gives the irrigation potential (where canals are ready, but water hasn’t reached fields) these projects have created.

The target irrigation potential of many projects in western Maharashtra is pegged on a lower side in the programme estimates compared to the white paper.

“If figures in the programme estimates booklet are wrong, it will be a fit case for breach of privilege in the assembly,’’ the sources said.

Courtesy:
Prafulla Marpakwar TNN
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