Lack of enquiry by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation into the ‘Pressure Cooker Scam’ worth Rs. 12.50 Crore has given a free hand to Chandivali’s member of legislative assembly Dilip Lande who continues to distribute BMC cookers under the party banner. While the Saki Naka police station has been probing the case independently, the BMC is yet to start any enquiry in this matter.
On August 13, the Free Press Journal had reported about the alleged scam wherein the BMC reportedly bought 50,000 cookers at four times higher cost than the market price (Rs2,498) and got them distributed by Lande. Through a series of events, the latter passed off the initiative as his own to woo voters ahead of the assembly polls, said complainant Advocate Nikhil Kamble, who has written a complaint to the BMC and police in the matter. The drive was actually a part of a municipal social welfare scheme meant for the underprivileged living in L ward.
Saki Naka police launch inquiry into complaint filed over Pressure Cooker Scam
On directions of the police commissioner, a launch was initiated by Saki Naka police station into Kamble’s complaint. However, the BMC is yet to start any form of inquiry into the matter even after repeated complaints. As Vidhan Sabha elections come closer and the BMC has failed to initiate an inquiry into the cooker scam, Lande has been given a free hand to distribute cookers in various parts of the constituency through a series of events under the name of Majhi Ladki Bahin Sanman Sohla.
After The Free Press Journal highlighted the alleged Pressure Cooker Scam, the MLA has organised free cooker distribution at seven different locations including Saki Naka’s Golden Nest Hall, Gomai Hall, Shethiya Nagar Hall, Asalpha’s Naliyawala Hall, Narayan nagar’s Gebanshah Dargah Hall and Chandivali’s Prajapati Hall. The MLA has posted pictures from these cooker distribution events with party banners which say, “Chandivali Ki Yahi Pukar Fir Ek Baar Dilip Mama Aamdar”.
Advocate Nikhil Kamble's Complaint Forwarded To Higher Authorities; But No Action Taken
Kamble’s complaint to the BMC chief was forwarded to the additional municipal commissioner of eastern suburbs who forwarded it to the deputy municipal commissioner (Zone-5), who later forwarded it to the assistant municipal commissioner of ‘L’ ward but never received any reply. However, after Kamble repeated his complaint on Monday demanding immediate registration of FIR against Lande and BMC officials, the BMC chief again repeated the process of forwarding the complaint to the Add.MC, who further forwarded it to the DMC who asked the ward officer to take urgent necessary action and submit a report.
Talking to The Free Press Journal, Kamble said, “The police had immediately launched an investigation after my first complaint and has recently recorded my statement for the second time but there has been no enquiry from the BMC’s end. In the public grievances meeting, the ward officer assured us of sharing the data for distribution of cookers but has not shared it. It seems that they are taking more time to prepare fake data.”
Chandivali Citizens Group accuses MLA of using public funds for political gain
Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association, which has been opposing the cooker distribution, said, “Our public representative has made mockery of law as he seems to have no fear of the law. He just wants to woo as many people as he can from public money before the elections. People are sad that the BMC is not taking any action, whereas the BMC commissioner should actually pull up the ward officer and carry out an inquiry. On the other hand, we would like the chief minister to pull up his party’s MLA and seek truth from him.”
The Free Press Journal contacted Devidas Kshirsagar, DMC (Zone-5) but he did not respond to the calls or messages.
