Latest news with #Enquiry
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Nine BBMP staffers to be probed over Covid bills
BENGALURU: A Departmental Enquiry (DE) has been ordered against nine BBMP officials in connection with the alleged irregularities in the release of payments related to Covid-19. Following the recommendation from the Justice Michael D Cunha Committee, which was constituted to probe the alleged irregularities in the procurement of Covid-19, notice was issued to 28 officers of the corporation, including engineers, doctors and the officers of the accounts department, seeking an explanation about the purchase of medicines and medical supplies during that period. 19 officers were given a clean chit. The health department, however, ordered an investigation into the remaining officers. 'These are officials in the BBMP health department who failed to give clarity over expenses and bills, and hence the matter was escalated to the BBMP Administration Department. If these officials fail to clarify the doubts, action will be initiated,' said Sirajuddin Madani, Chief Health Officer. Notices have been issued to 15 private companies that supplied materials during the Covid period. The committee has suggested the recovery of Rs 13 crore given to 15 private companies as 'extra'. BBMP Officers and Employees Association president Amruth Raj said it's time the black sheep are shunted out. 'Those involved in dereliction of duty should be suspended and jailed,' he said.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Time of India
Death of 11-year-old at civic pool: MBMC initiates probe against sports officer
Representative Image MIRA BHAYANDER: The Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has initiated a Departmental Enquiry (DE) against its sports officer Dipali Pawar regarding the death of 11 year old Granth Mutha in the civic run swimming pool located at Bhayander east on April 20. The Navghar cops had booked four instructors under charges of death by negligence after this incident. A week after this unfortunate death and after the public outrage the MBMC had constituted a three-member committee to probe the reasons behind this death which included an additional commissioner, city engineer and Deepali Pawar herself representing the sports department. After the report was submitted by these three, a unanimous decision was taken to initiate the DE process against Pawar. The committee reports mentioned that it was the duty of the sports officer to audit the premises on a timely basis and its remarks should have been mentioned in the diary maintained in the premises. But during the joint committee investigation this diary was found blank. Also, post this the sports officer was issued a show cause notice and after her reply was found dissatisfactory, this decision was taken. A senior officer at the MBMC confirmed that the MBMC municipal commissioner had initiated this DE on sports officer Pawar. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The joint committee report also mentions that a third party audit of the facilities and sports activities of the entire sports complex was necessary and a comprehensive SOP needs to be in place. The MoU of the MBMC with the Sahas Charitable trust which was operating this sports complex should be cancelled, stated this report. It also mentioned that the financials of the trust should be audited by the accounts team of the MBMC as prima facie there were discrepancy of charges on what the citizens were charged as against what they were told to charge by the MBMC. In mid-June, Hasmukh Mutha, father of the deceased, had written to the Navghar police station to add MBMC officers as an accused in this case as they had professionally failed to execute their job responsibilities. Jatin Dadhich, journalist and activist, said that we welcome this action about the DE, which is based on documented proof which the joint committee found during their investigation.
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Indian Express
Rs 1,000 crore Mithi River desilting scam: In first FIR, 13 booked for Rs 65 crore fraud; EOW conducts searches at 8 locations
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Tuesday registered an FIR against five contractors, three Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, three middlemen, and two private company officials for wrongful loss to the civic body worth more than Rs 65.54 crore in the alleged Mithi River desilting scam. The scam is claimed to be worth Rs 1,000 crore. A senior EOW officer confirmed the development and said that EOW is carrying out searches at eight locations in connection with the matter. The EOW official said that a case was lodged under sections 406, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code against BMC assistant engineer Prashant Ramugade, deputy chief engineers Ganesh Bendre and Tayshette (full name not known), and Deepak Mohan, Kishore Menon, Jay Joshi, Ketan Kadam and Bhupendra Purohit, the directors of Acute Designing, Kailash Construction Company, NA Construction, Nikhil Construction, and JRS Infrastructure, respectively. Eight places linked to the accused are being searched by the EOW. The EOW SIT has registered a suo motu FIR after conducting inquiries, and Inspector Bilal Shaikh is the complainant in the case. The Mithi desilting scam As per the FIR (a copy of which is with The Indian Express) initially filed with the Azad Maidan police, the accused BMC officers misused their positions for wrongful financial gains. The FIR further alleges that the accused, by including terms and conditions as mentioned in the contract agreement regarding silt pusher machine and multipurpose amphibious pantoon machine, along with the accused Mohan, Menon of Matprop Company, Joshi of M/s Virgo Specialties Pvt Ltd, and other partners and Ketan Kadam and other partners and directors of Vodar India LLP, and contractor Bhupendra Purohit and others, conspired to defraud the BMC financially. 'The accused BMC officer of the Pajwa Division of the Municipal Corporation, without verifying the authenticity of the dumping sites mentioned in the false and fabricated MOU submitted by the directors of the contractor companies Acute Designs, Kailash Construction Company, N A Construction, Nikhil Construction Company, J.R.S Infrastructure and others, provided and helped contractors take disadvantage,' the EOW officer stated in the FIR. Also, the FIR added, officials of the Pajawa division have caused financial loss to the BMC by approving bills on the basis of fake documents related to the weighbridge and log sheets. SIT was formed in 2024 In recent months, the SIT has expedited investigation into the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) commenced into the alleged Mithi River desilting scam. Over a dozen contractors were questioned for hours. In August 2024, the formation of the SIT was announced in the Maharashtra state Legislative Council after BJP MLCs Prasad Lad and Pravin Darekar raised questions. After this, an SIT headed by a joint commissioner of police (EOW), deputy commissioner of police (EOW), and an assistant commissioner of police, along with some junior officers, was formed to look into alleged manipulations in the Mithi River desilting works. The SIT was scrutinising the spending of around Rs 1,100 crore on the Mithi River desilting between 2005 and 2021. After finding material fit for filing a cognisable complaint, the SIT registered an FIR. The desilting of an 11.84 km stretch of the Mithi River is under the BMC, while the remaining 6.8 km stretch of the river is under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). 'After analysing the contract documents and details of the desilting work from the BMC and MMRDA, and based on sustained inquiry of the contractors, we have registered a criminal case and are further investigating the matter,' said an EOW officer. There are 18 contractors under the SIT's scanner. 'We inquired if the proper rules and norms were followed while awarding contracts for desilting work. The BMC and the MMRDA have different contract-awarding procedures. We inquired if the desilting works were done or if it was only on paper; if yes, where the desilted garbage was dumped, which vehicles were utilised for transporting the mud, etc,' the officer added.
