Maharashtra shifts out Mira Bhayander municipal commissioner after ED summons

Dilip Dhole was appointed as Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation chief in March 2021. He has been replaced by Sanjay Katkar

MUMBAI: The government on Wednesday shifted out Mira Bhayander municipal commissioner Dilip Dhole and replaced him with Sanjay Katkar, hours after it emerged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned the bureaucrat in connection with its probe into a money laundering case.

Dilip Dhole was private secretary to Eknath Shinde when he was a minister in the previous Devendra Fadnavis government (Twitter/iArtistShruti)

Hindustan Times first reported the summons issued by ED to record the bureaucrat’s statement

Katkar, who has been ordered to take over the municipal corporation, was recently inducted into the Indian Administrative Service and appointed as joint managing director in the City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) just last week. IAS officer Kailas Shinde, who was awaiting posting, will step into his shoes in CIDCO.

Dhole was private secretary to Eknath Shinde when the latter was a minister in the earlier Devendra Fadnavis government. He was of deputy commissioner rank, equivalent to deputy collectors of the revenue department. Dhole told HT on Tuesday that he was unwell and will need to collect the necessary details before giving his reaction.

Dhole has been summoned by ED to seek information and clarification related to the agency’s probe into money laundering charges related to alleged irregularities detected by the Thane police in November 2016. It was alleged that several builders, in violation of the Urban Land Ceiling Regulation (ULCR) Act, avoided surrendering excess land to the government through bribery and using fake documents.

Dhole took charge as MBMC chief in March 2021. He joined the corporation as an additional municipal commissioner.