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Mumbai: The police probe into Rs 12.50 Crore ‘Pressure Cooker Scam’ has hit a roadblock due to lack of cooperation from the Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the ‘L’ ward. Police have claimed that the ward officer has not been available to record his statement citing various reasons and therefore the police is unable to record MLA Dilip Lande's statement as he continues to distribute the BMC cookers.
On August 13, the Free Press Journal had reported about the alleged Pressure Cooker 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.
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While the Saki Naka police station has launched a probe after direction from the police commissioner, the BMC is yet to initiate any official inquiry into the matter. On the other hand, Dhanaji Herlekar, the assistant commissioner of the ‘L’ ward has yet not cooperated with the police probe and has been running away from recording his statement.
The Free Press Journal had earlier reported that Herlekar had sought time citing his busy schedule due to ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign but has not provided his statement even two weeks after Independence Day.
The investigating officer in the case confirmed about the lack of cooperation from the ward officer and said, “The probe has come to a standstill as even after multiple attempts, we have not succeeded in recording the ward officer’s statement. I even visited his office to record his statement after Independence Day but was said that he is not present.”
However, while the police waits for a statement from Herlekar, they have not sought any statement from Lande, who has been distributing the BMC cookers with his name engraved on them. Police have said that they will decide about seeking a statement from Lande only after assessing Herlekar’s statement. Meanwhile, Lande continues to distribute the cookers procured by the BMC in various areas of Chandivali, Asalpha and Saki Naka.
Kamble demanded that the police should summon the MLA and record his statement without waiting for the ward officer. “Every citizen is equal before the law and an MLA is not exceptional. Police should record his statement as per the procedure of law and ask him about how he has procured these cookers. The lack of proper investigation even after a month hints that the police may be under the pressure of the state government or the MLA or the ruling party he is associated to,” said Kamble.
The Free Press Journal contacted Herlekar, who claimed to be unaware about the issue or the police probe, although he had earlier accepted that he had sought time to record his statement.
