BMC one of the most corrupt institutions: HC

Calling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation one of the most corrupt institutions, the Bombay high court on Wednesday sought an affidavit from civic commissioner Subodh Kumar, on the steps he plans to take for checking corrupt civic officials, especially those posted on Octroi check posts.

Calling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation one of the most corrupt institutions, the Bombay high court on Wednesday sought an affidavit from civic commissioner Subodh Kumar, on the steps he plans to take for checking corrupt civic officials, especially those posted on Octroi check posts.

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“There appears to be huge revenue loss, due to corruption in the corporation,” the division bench of justice PB Majumdar and justice RM Sawant observed.

The court was hearing a petition filed by HCL Infosystems Pvt. Ltd, challenging a notice issued to them by the civic body, asking for Octroi duty, although it had already paid a sum of Rs5 crore towards the same.

The BMC claimed that the company’s Octroi agent had fraudulently paid the amount to some corrupt civic officers posted at the Mulund check post, which the civic body had not received.

BMC counsel Anil Sakhare informed the judges that ten similar cases had been detected involving the issuance of forged Octroi receipts. Apart from initiating police action, Sakhare said, the civic body had also undertaken an inquiry through an officer of the rank of additional municipal commissioner.

The judges said: “A countrywide movement to eradicate corruption is on and people should realise that not paying bribe is in the interest of the country. Ultimately, public revenue is being affected.”

The court has given the civic commissioner till September 27 to file the affidavit.