Dhananjay Munde orders SIT probe in Samata Pratishthan scam

MUMBAI: Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde on Wednesday ordered an SIT probe and suspension of 13 staff members of the state body in Nagpur which had organised programmes for the 125th anniversary of Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar.

The issue was raised in the assembly by Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Prabhu during the question hour.

According to Munde, the Babasaheb Ambedkar Samata Pratishthan in Nagpur did not have bills for the event and corruption of Rs 3.6 crore had been established in a statutory audit, out of the Rs 16 crore given to the organization.

“The officials of the body did not place the findings of the statutory audit before the Comptroller and Auditor General, deliberately. The corruption involved in this case is serious and irregularities worth Rs 14 crore could be revealed,” Munde said.

Accounts Officer Sheelsagar Chahande, Project Officer Sonali Badole, Jyoti Karwade, Shyamrao Bansod, Umesh Sangode, Upas Waghmare, Nagesh Wahurwagh, Tushar Suryavanshi, Omesh Nandeshwar, Prakash Rahangdale, Project Coordinator Badal Shrirame, Project Assistant Hershal Gawande, Shipai Sangeeta Nunha are the officers that were suspended.