Demolition scam: 5 Navi Mumbai civic officials held

The CBD police arrested five top officials of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) in connection with the encroachment demolition scam. G Mohiuddin Jeddy reports.

The CBD police on Tuesday arrested five top officials of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) in connection with the encroachment demolition scam.

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A police complaint was lodged by the NMMC at CBD police station on May 17 that accused some officials, contractors and a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator of misappropriating with funds meant for encroachment drives.

Later, an audit was conducted by the corporation which found that the bungling was worth Rs 3.2 crore.

The police have earlier arrested seven persons, including NCP corporator M.K. Madhvi, contractor H.B. Bhise, NMMC accountant Rajesh Patil and four sub-contractors.

Deputy municipal commissioners N.N. Alhat and Amrish Patnigiri (who has been transferred to state’s government’s cess department), Assistant Municipal Commissioner Diwaker Samel, Chief Accounts and Finance Officer Jayant Dalvi and Assistant Accounts Officer Prakash Kamble were also called in by the police on Tuesday for questioning.

They were later arrested.

“After interrogating them, we have found the five officers to be involved in the scam,” said Ramesh Mohite, senior police inspector of CBD police station.

“We have arrested them for cheating and forgery,” he added.

Bhise, entrusted with the task of supplying machinery and personnel for encroachments from 2003 to 2009, is accused of submitting inflated bills.

Bhise had alleged the involvement of corporator Madhvi in the transactions.

The police have said that Rs 2 crore was transferred to Madhvi’s account from that of Bhise.

Madhvi and the NMMC officials have all denied the allegations claiming they are victims of a conspiracy.