BJP MLA Ameet Satam heard abusing Mumbai civic body officials on tape, says it’s fake

Satam tweeted to CM Devendra Fadnavis, alleging conspiracy

BJP MLA from Andheri West Ameet Satam on Thursday found himself in a controversy over an audio tape that surfaced on some social media groups.

Ameet Satam is an MLA from Andheri East.

In the audio, which is apparently a call recording, a man identifying himself as Ameet Satam is heard abusing engineers from the building proposal department of H-East ward, which falls under Satam’s constituency. The person talking to a BMC officer is referring to an engineer and is heard abusing him.

HT hasn’t independently verified the authenticity of the audio.

Satam tweeted to CM Devendra Fadnavis, alleging conspiracy. “As BMC MC taking action in my 50,000 cr bldg scam allegations on instructions of Lokayukt, some officers will be caught on the wrong foot. Hence, they are circulating doctored tapes to malign me (sic)…” he tweeted.

Speaking to HT, Satam said, “The recording is doctored. I found it has originated in a BMC engineers’ group. The first sentence where the voice says I am Ameet Satam, is my voice, but the rest is not in my voice.”

According to Satam, two years ago, he had raised the issue of a Rs50,000-crore building scam in his ward. BMC chief Ajoy Mehta set up an inquiry into the scam on orders of the Lokpal. “The inquiry is nearing its end. The officials who would be caught doctored the recording,” he said.

A senior civic official said the official named in the recording was transferred nine months ago. He refused to give out any other information. In response, Satam said, “I found out the official was transferred nine months ago. How can the recording be correct, if he is named in it right now?”

Sainath Rajadhyaksha, who heads the Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers’ Union, said, “The official was transferred nine months ago, but then this recording is also from nine months ago. The two officials whose names appear in the recording have put their phones off after constant phone calls from media and politicians. That does not imply they are lying.”