DHFL scam accused received Maharashtra home department’s nod to travel amid lockdown
Amid the national lockdown, a senior home department official’s letter allowing the Wadhawan family, which is caught in the multi-crore Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) scam, to travel from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar on Wednesday has left the government red-faced. Home minister Anil Deshmukh late on Thursday announced a probe into the issue, as the letter was leaked to the media.
The safe passage was given to DHFL promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, along with 21 other members of their family and friends, in five cars. The letter allegedly signed by Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary, home department, states: “This is to just inform you that following are my family friends and travelling from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar for family emergency. Particulars of the cars are given below.”
The letter, which HT has a copy of, goes on to give details of the five cars, their numberplates and names of the persons travelling in every car. The Wadhawans were allowed to travel from Pune district to Satara district, bypassing the state norms that district borders be sealed. After they landed in Mahabaleshwar in the Dewan bungalow, residents protested, which brought the issue to light. Deshmukh tweeted: “We will probe how permission was granted to allow 23 members of the Wadhawan family to travel from Khandala to Satara. I had no idea about this letter. This was given by Gupta that’s true, but I don’t know the details over why this letter was given. So, we will conduct a probe and tomorrow a strict decision will be taken. This was not appropriate, I completely accept this.”
A senior state secretariat official said that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is irked with the incident as it embarrasses his administration which has been stringent with the lockdown measures. As per the government protocol, the home department is currently giving such leeway or travel pass only to those who have family emergencies, including hospitalisation or death of a family member. “The CBI had issued non-bailable warrants against the Wadhawan brothers, who are accused in Yes Bank/DHFL fraud. Instead of handing them over to the police, the government gives them VVIP treatment. Deshmukh owes the country an explanation,” said former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya.
At the time of going to press, Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan were detained in Mahabaleshwar. Milind Bharambe, inspector general of police (law and order), said “They are in quarantine.”
When asked, if Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan have been detained in Mahabaleshwar, in violation of Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code( CrPC), Suhas Warke, inspector general of police (Kolhapur range), said, “An offence is being registered against them. They are kept in institutional quarantine.”