₹500 crore scam: EOW officials question Sena (UBT) leader Ravindra Waikar

Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Waikar was questioned by the Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for four-and-a-half hours regarding a complaint filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, alleging his involvement in a ₹500 crore scam. Waikar denied the allegations and stated that they were pressure tactics to make leaders switch parties. The complaint accuses Waikar of illegally obtaining approval for a five-star hotel on a plot reserved for a garden, causing a loss to the BMC.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Ravindra Waikar was questioned by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police on Saturday for four-and-a-half hours as part of its preliminary enquiry (PE) into a complaint filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleging that Waikar was involved in a ₹500 crore scam.

Mumbai, India - October 26, 2018: Ravindra Waikar during HT Real Estate Awards at ITC Grand, Parel in Mumbai, India, on Friday, October 26, 2018. (Photo by Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times) (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

Waikar, who joined the investigators around 12.30pm, was questioned till 5 pm. After coming out of the EOW office, Waikar said, “I have clarified to whatever queries they had, these are pressure tactics so that leaders will join their parties. However, I am a loyal Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray worker and will never shift sides.”

An EOW official said a complaint was lodged with them by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.

According to the complaint, Waikar obtained approval for the construction of a five-star hotel on a plot reserved for a garden illegally in Goregaon. He used his political ties to get this approval, causing a huge loss to the BMC.

In his complaint the former member of parliament claimed on July 26, 2021, the BMC had approved a five-star hotel on plot numbers 1-B and 1-C in Vyarvali village, Jogeshwari JVLR, which is personally owned by Waikar and some others. Somaiya claimed that the said plot was reserved for a garden or a park and was being used for construction by Waikar and his other partners.

Somaiya said BMC’s building proposal department had illegally approved the hotel, an illegal benefit of ₹500 crore was made from this deal and that an annual turnover of ₹500 crore was expected after its construction.