Mala fide intentions of civic officials led to loss of Jogeshwari plot in Mumbai: Inquiry report

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lost the Rs500-crore Jogeshwari plot owing to delay in acquisition, a preliminary inquiry report has blamed malafide intentions of civic officials for the alleged bungling.

Four civic officials were suspended on Monday, while eight officials will face a detailed, full-fledged inquiry.(HT file)

The inquiry has found that 18 civic officials were involved in the delay of plot acquisition. Four of them were suspended on Monday, while eight officials will face a detailed, full-fledged inquiry. Another departmental inquiry has been initiated against the rest, including chief engineer Sanjay Darade (development plan department), for alleged lack of supervision.

The four suspended officials are executive engineer Ashok Shendge, assistant engineer Vijay Wagh and sub engineer Ganesh Bapat — all from the development plan department — and deputy law officer PV Naik from the law department. The inquiry report was submitted in two parts, legal and DP department. Nearly 20 officials of both the departments were under the scanner.

The preliminary inquiry was headed by deputy municipal commissioner Nidhi Choudhary. “From perusal of reports, it is very clear that a concerted effort involving many parties has been made to ensure that BMC and citizens are denied the use of this plot. This kind of delay cannot be labelled as negligence but it points to a larger malafide intent to effect the outcome,” stated the report.

Apart from the suspensions, the inquiry report proposed reforms in the functioning of the law department, to ensure transparency and accountability. BMC is likely to file a petition again in the Supreme Court, to acquire the land, based on newer facts that were highlighted during the investigation of the preliminary inquiry.

The case pertains to the 13, 674-square-metre plot in Majas at Jogeshwari, which was reserved for a recreation ground in the 1991 Developement Plan. BMC failed to acquire the land from the lessee in time. BMC lost a legal battle in the Bombay high court, to take over the plot. Civic chief Ajoy Mehta ordered its law department that this matter should be challenged in the Supreme Court. However, these remarks were allegedly changed from “should’ be challenged” to “shouldn’t’ be challenged” by two unidentified people. An FIR was registered against them at Azad Maidan police station. Following this, an inquiry into the legal department was initiated for carelessly handling the case.