RTI exposes multi-crore procurement scam in BMC

A BMC report reveals procurement irregularities in L Ward, with officials allegedly misusing funds for political gain ahead of elections.

MUMBAI: In September, a BMC vigilance department report unearthed alleged procurement irregularities and misuse in a pressure cooker scam in L Ward. Now it has come to light that the ward officials procured sarees, umbrellas, laptops, walkers, spectacles, and jute bags worth several crores on the same date, with no substantial evidence of delivery to the intended beneficiaries.

RTI exposes multi-crore procurement scam in BMC

The allegations were raised by advocate Nikhil Kamble, chairman of the Maharashtra Youth Congress, who filed a complaint with the BMC and Mumbai police, calling for action against Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande, the executive engineer of L Ward and other BMC officials. Kamble claims that apart from the pressure cookers, these items too were allegedly distributed by Lande for political gain in the lead-up to the elections, passing off a municipal welfare initiative as his own.

Kamble’s investigation into the pressure cooker procurement under RTI led him to discover the other reports of irregular procurements. The report details that sarees worth ₹1.90 crore, umbrellas worth ₹38.38 lakh, laptops worth ₹21 lakh, spectacles worth ₹15.24 lakh, walkers worth ₹14.28 lakh and jute bags worth ₹21.18 lakh were purchased in bulk on February 28, raising concerns about the bidding and procurement processes.

The vigilance report further reveals that these items were sourced from the same two suppliers as the pressure cookers with no documentation specifying quantities or rates. There were other significant lapses, including the absence of delivery proofs such as date-stamped photographs and beneficiary lists, and incomplete purchase orders.

Additional discrepancies emerged as the vigilance team found that the umbrellas were not part of the BMC planning department’s official circular. Despite these procedural gaps, payments were processed for the sarees and umbrellas through multiple purchase orders and tenders rather than a single consolidated tender, leading to further questions of accountability.

Kamble has formally requested the BMC commissioner and police to take action against Lande and the others. He argues that the BMC’s failure to deliver these items to the underprivileged points to their being knowingly diverted to serve political purposes. The state’s chief electoral officer has ordered the suburban collector to submit a report.

“It has been three months since I started this fight for accountability,” said Kamble. “Lande and BMC officials have misused public funds for political promotions but the BMC’s vigilance department, seemingly under government pressure, has not yet acted on its own report.”

Despite several attempts, Lande was not available for comment.