Maharashtra: Power firms get notice over Sanjay Raut’s flight trips

Registrar of Companies (ROC) has slapped notices on MSEB Holding Company Limited (MSEBHCL) and Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco), asking them to clarify about the expenditure incurred for the number of air trips of energy minister Nitin Raut by chartered flights last year.

Registrar of Companies (ROC) has slapped notices on MSEB Holding Company Limited (MSEBHCL) and Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco), asking them to clarify about the expenditure incurred for the number of air trips of energy minister Nitin Raut by chartered flights last year. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised Raut for allegedly high expenditure on his official bungalow too.

Maharashtra energy minister Nitin Raut. (HT FILE )

Raut has rubbished the allegations saying the expenditure incurred for the renovation of the bungalow — Parnakuti — was from the funds allocated to the public works department. He also said the air trips were well within the rulebook of the power companies, and the trips were for official works as a minister and chairman of these companies.

ROC has, on March 5, sought clarification from the two power companies for their spending on Raut’s air trips. According to information obtained under Right To Information (RTI) Act by Ravikumar Vemulakonda, MSEBHCL paid ₹14.45 lakh for two trips and Mahagenco paid ₹29.10 lakh for three trips by Raut between Mumbai, Delhi, Aurangbad and Hyderabad during lockdown last year. Vemulakonda, based on the RTI reply, lodged a complaint with ROC for action against the companies.

In view of this, ROC issued a notice signed by assistant company registrar, stating, “You (two power companies) are directed to furnish your comments/clarification on each of the allegations made in the complaint with documentary evidence within 10 days. On failing to respond, penal action will be taken as contemplated under Companies Act, 2013 against companies and its directors.”

Maharashtra BJP’s media head Vishwas Pathak alleged that Raut has spent huge amount on renovation of his official bungalow at Malabar Hill as well as his office at Mantralaya. “The state government has been disconnecting the power supply of farmers and poor people for the non-payment of bills. The state government has been citing financial crisis faced by the power companies for the disconnection, but on the other hand, the minister has been spending lavishly on his bungalow and office,” he said.

Pathak also alleged that the minister spent more than ₹1 crore on his air trips, though two companies gave the information about ₹43 lakh borne by them, while two others have refused to reveal the payments.

Dinesh Waghmare, principal secretary, energy department, said the four power companies have received the ROC notices and they have been replying to them accordingly. “MSEBHCL has already replied while Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company will comply with it in next two days. There is nothing wrong in these companies footing the bills of air travel for the minister, who is chairman of the companies. The entities have been formed under the Companies Act like any other private company, and have every right to bear such bills of the air travel of their chairman,” he said.

Raut said, “I was operated upon for heart ailment in February and had three trips from Nagpur to Mumbai by road. My doctor strictly warned me to avoid it, saying it could prove to be fatal. After it, I travelled by chartered flights for cabinet meetings and important meetings of the power companies as their chairman. As the chairman of the company, I can use flight made available by them, and for it, there is no need to have permission by the chief minister. Power supply is an essential service and it was our duty to ensure uninterrupted supply of the power during lockdown, when commercial flights were not in operations” he said.

While speaking about the expenditure on bungalow, Raut said, “The expenditure done by the public works department on my bungalow is as per set rules and earmarked budget for the official accommodations of ministers. The renovation work has not been completed even 15 months after the swearing-in because of the Covid-19 lockdown. I had been living in a rented house in Worli for months. Only three rooms of the bungalow have been completed so far. The BJP should also question the expenditure done on the bungalow in possession of the Leader of Opposition (Devendra Fadnavis) and who borne the expenditure.”

Box

Raut says no to the post of speaker

While the speculations are rife that energy minister Nitin Raut could be made Assembly speaker and replaced as minister by Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole by the party leadership, Raut said he was not interested in any such shuffle.

“I had said no to accept the post of Assembly after formation of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government in November 2019. It was only after that, I was on the list of two Congress ministers who took oath on November 28 in the first phase. I am not aware of any reshuffle in state cabinet. Final decisions are taken by party leadership,” he said.