Maharashtra govt doesnt pay three months’ salary to panel that probed Eknath Khadse

Mumbai city news: The committee’s term,however, had technically ended on March 31, as the government had delayed to extend it for the sixth time. So, the finance department denied Zoting and his assistant and retired district magistrate ML Chauhan their salaries for three months.

The retired judges on the Zoting committee, appointed to probe the alleged land grab by former revenue minister Eknath Khadse, have not been able to draw salaries for the past three months in the absence of an official order of extension.

Eknath Khadse (HT)

The committee has sought a final extension of 15 days, till July 15, to wind up.

The one-man committee headed by retired high court judge Dinkar Zoting submitted its report on June 30 to the state government. Its term,however, had technically ended on March 31, as the government had delayed to extend it for the sixth time. So, the finance department denied Zoting and his assistant and retired district magistrate ML Chauhan their salaries for three months.

“The government has written to them saying that their term has been extended till June 30 but the official order has not yet been issued. The panel will get their salary in the next couple of weeks. The official order may take a few days as the decision on their fresh extension of 15 days has not been taken yet,” said an official from the divisional commissioner’s office in Nagpur.