Netas can't block action against oil mafia: Babus

Bureaucrats in Maharashtra decided on Friday that they would not give in to any pressure from politicians to stop inquiries or action against the oil mafia.

On a day the Centre said it would consider a CBI probe into the killing of Nashik district collector Yashwant Sonawane ,state chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad called a meeting of senior officials from the home, revenue, food and civil supplies departments at the state secretariat.

Sources said that after most officials complained of how political interference hampered action against the fuel adulteration mafia, it was decided that all additional district collectors across the state would be told not to entertain 'unofficial stay orders' on action against illegal hoarding of fuel.

The chief secretary will soon issue an unofficial communiqué to this effect to additional collectors. He is also likely to take up the issue with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and request him to issue an official order in this regard.

Additional collectors head the food and civil supplies department at the district level and are responsible for issuing orders for raids, investigating cases and filing charge sheets with the help of the police.

But cases often get thwarted at the level of investigation, largely owing to political pressure.

"We are initiating several time-bound plans to tackle the issue of adulteration of petrol, kerosene, oil and milk and taking steps to make sure that action is taken against the culprits," Gaikwad told this paper after the meeting.