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New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Maharashtra government orders SIT to probe Rs 1.8 crore cash recovery at guest house
MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the recovery of Rs 1.8 crore in cash at a Government Guest House. A special investigation team (SIT) was formed following the opposition's uproar over the issue. Opposition alleged that Rs 1.80 crore cash was found at Shiv Sena leader and MLA Arjun Kothakar and his personal assistant Kishor Patil booked room no 102 at a Guest House in Dhule, Maharashtra. Local leader Anil Gote said that the probe and SIT by state government is nothing but an eye wash to suppress the incident so that truth should not come out. Gote alleged that the Shiv Sena leader Arjun Kothakar was in Dhule to attend the MLAs proposed budget meeting and collected a bribe amount of Rs 5 crore in lieu of government contracts. "This Rs 5 crore bribe money was meant to be distributed among the ruling party MLAs. There is a big scam in the making, and money collections taking place in return of allotment of government contracts in Maharashtra. Without paying a single penny, no government contract has been allocated in state. The ruling party leaders do often come to collect the bribe amount. The contractors are exploited, therefore, rather than doing good work, they do inferior work. The honest tax payers' money has been misused," said Gote.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Fire breaks out at Sarkarwada, no major damage
Nashik: A fire broke out at Sarkarwada, near the Raviwar Karanja area of Nashik, around 1am on Friday. Fire brigade teams from the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) rushed to the scene and quickly brought the blaze under control. "We received a call at around 1am on Friday. We immediately sent our team of firemen along with the fire engine, which immediately brought the fire under control," said a fire brigade official. Preliminary investigations suggest that an electrical short circuit may have caused the fire. Sarkarwada, a state govt-protected monument, houses the office and museum of the state's archaeology department. The building dates back to the 18th century and served as the administrative center during the Peshwa era, making it a site of immense historical and architectural value. Amol Gote, assistant director of Directorate of Archaeology and Museums (Nanded division), confirmed the incident and praised the prompt response. "Our staff that was also at the office building also made their efforts to bring the fire under control," he said. He added that both the fire brigade and police acted swiftly to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further. "There was no major damage, but some office furniture and table fans were damaged in the fire. But all the documents are safe. There was no damage to the museum of the archaeology department as the fire was in the inner premises of the building," Gote said. Sarkarwada is a two-storied structure spanning 1,304 sq m. It previously served as a police station and now functions as the office of the state archaeological department and a museum. The building has withstood various historical events, including the 1939 floods, when the Godavari River rose high enough to submerge 11 of its steps, prompting the administration to mark a flood line on the wall. Local officials have stated that additional safety measures will now be reviewed to protect the structure from future incidents. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Decode Politics: Why a Fadnavis govt initiative has got stuck in Room 102 of a Dhule guest house
BARELY TWO days after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated legislative committees that are meant to provide oversight and accountability to state governance, one of them finds itself in a controversy. On Wednesday, Rs 1.84 crore worth of cash was seized from a room in a government guest house, which was allegedly booked by the personal assistant of Estimates Committee chairman Arjun Khotkar. The Opposition has alleged that the money was intended as a bribe for members of the Estimates Committee, which is tasked with examining government spending and recommending measures for improved financial management. * What is the present controversy? The Estimates Committee is currently on a visit to Nandurbar and Dhule districts to examine work being done there. On Wednesday, a former MLA from Dhule city, Anil Gote, alleged that ₹5 crore was stashed in Room 102 of the state guest house in Dhule. He claimed the room was booked under the name of Kishore Patil, the government-appointed personal assistant to committee chairman Khotkar. Gote alleged that the money had been pooled by government officials as a bribe for the committee. He then staged a protest outside the room, prompting the district administration to break it open. Inside, officials recovered Rs 1.84 crore in cash, stored in 12 bags. The money was handed over to the Income Tax Department, and an investigation has been initiated. Gote has alleged that Kishore Patil had been calling officials and demanding money in the days leading up to the committee's visit to Dhule. 'Patil had set up base in Dhule from May 15. He was calling government officials from the Resident Deputy Collector's office and asking them for money. A thorough probe needs to be conducted,' Gote said. Khotkar has called the allegations an 'attempt' to malign his committee. 'Gote has a habit of making wild accusations. My personal assistant was not staying in the said room. He was in the adjacent one… Hopefully, the truth will come out,' Khotkar said. * How has the government reacted? The incident has come as an embarrassment to the government, especially after Fadnavis's acknowledgment while announcing the committees that these had been misused in the past. While Patil has been suspended, the Maharashtra government has ordered a formal probe into the matter. 'The whole truth must come out. This episode raises serious questions about a legislative committee, which cannot be tolerated. The honour and dignity of the state legislature must be upheld. Therefore, an SIT will be formed to investigate the money trail,' said Fadnavis. * The need for legislative committees in Assemblies Committees play a crucial role in scrutinising legislation, examining government policies, conducting inquiries, and overseeing departmental functioning. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has 30 different committees. The most important among them in matters of finance and government spending are the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Estimates Committee. The PAC is responsible for looking into government spending and to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of public funds. The Estimates Committee examines the budget estimates of ministries to ensure that funds are used effectively for their intended purposes. The committee can also suggest cuts in inefficient or unjustified spending, though it cannot propose new expenses. For example, it can recommend ways to reduce waste, improve the effectiveness of government programmes, prevent overspending, and highlight cases of mismanagement or poor financial planning. It also evaluates whether government schemes are delivering the expected results and can seek explanations from government officials for any shortfalls. While committees are considered a key component of the legislative process, their power to summon officials and request information and reports exposes them to potential misuse. There have been accusations in the past of committee members overlooking irregularities in exchange for pecuniary gains. * The latest Estimates Committee in Maharashtra The Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly and the Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council jointly appoint the Estimates Committee. The current committee, consisting of 28 members, was appointed on April 29, with representation from both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. Shiv Sena MLA Arjun Khotkar was appointed as the head of the committee. On May 19, Fadnavis presided over the joint inauguration of the Maharashtra legislature committees 2024–25. Admitting instances of misuse in the past, the CM said 'a collective decision was made to guide and retain these committees'.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Rs 1.8 crore found at Maharashtra guest house stirs political row
Rs 1.8 crore seized from govt guest house in Dhule NASHIK/MUMBAI: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis said Thursday an SIT would be set up to probe the discovery of Rs 1.8 crore inside a locked room of a govt guest house in Maharashtra's Dhule, reports Abhilash Botekar. The cash was seized prompted by a tip-off, authorities said. Additional SP Kishor Kale said, "counting of the money went on till early Thursday. The room has been sealed". Police said no FIR has been registered yet. State legislative council chairperson Ram Shinde later said Kishore Patil, a section officer in state legislature, has been suspended. Former MLA and Sena UBT member Anil Gote alleged the money was meant for Arjun Khotkar, an MLA of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and chairperson of Estimates Committee of the legislature, which scrutinises spending of public money by govt. Gote claimed "the room was booked under the name of Kishor Patil, who is also Khotkar's assistant and had been staying at the guest house for the last couple of days". Khotkar, however, dismissed the allegations. "He (Gote) is in the habit of making such baseless allegations. I checked with Patil and he clarified he had booked a different room and not the one in question," he said.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Police find Rs 1.8 crore at govt guest house; Fadnavis says SIT to probe
Nashik/Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday a special investigation team (SIT) would be set up to probe the discovery of Rs 1.84 crore inside the locked room of a govt guest house in Dhule. The cash was seized by police early on Thursday during a search operation prompted by a tip-off, authorities said. Hours later, state legislative council chairperson Ram Shinde said in a tweet that Kishore Patil, a section officer in the state legislature, had been suspended in connection with the incident and an investigation would be opened. Police said no FIR has been registered yet. "We received information about the cash late on Wednesday evening," said additional superintendent of police Kishor Kale. "Counting of the money went on till early hours of Thursday. The guest house room has been sealed. And we're now investigating who the cash belonged to," Kale said, adding that the income tax department has been notified. Shortly after news broke of the cash seizure, former MLA and Shiv Sena UBT member Anil Gote, at a press conference on Thursday, alleged the money was meant for Arjun Khotkar, an MLA of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the chairperson of the Estimates Committee of the state legislature, which scrutinizes spending of public money by govt. The Committee was slated to visit the location to review development works in Dhule district. Gote claimed when he and other party members learnt about the cash seizure on Wednesday, they rushed to the guest house. "The room the cash was found in was booked under the name of Kishor Patil. Patil is also Khotkar's assistant and had been staying at the guest house for the last couple of days," he said, adding that despite demanding immediate action, police only reached the spot at 11pm. "They broke down the door and seized the money. Panchanama was carried out around 4am," he said at the press conference. Gote demanded an investigation be led by either divisional commissioner Praveen Gedam or senior IAS officer Tukaram Munde. He claimed the money was meant for "11 members" of the state Estimates Committee. Khotkar rejected the allegations. "He (Gote) is in the habit of making such baseless allegations. I checked with Patil and he clarified he had booked a different room and not the one in question. The investigators must determine if the money at the guest house was planted to defame the Estimates Committee and state govt," he said. Later in the day, CM Fadnavis said in Mumbai the allegations would indeed be probed. "We have therefore decided to appoint an SIT, to find out who was responsible for the cash and if it was demanded by someone," he said. In a post on X on Wednesday night, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that more than Rs 5 crore was found in the room. 'When the legislature estimates committee visited Dhule district today (Wednesday), about five and a half crore rupees were kept in room number 102 at the Dhule government rest house Gulmohar for giving bribe to the committee," the Rajya Sabha member claimed. Ram Shinde told TOI on Thursday: "While a police investigation is on, we have also decided to conduct a parallel inquiry. For that, a committee will be set up by Friday. Meanwhile, we have suspended section officer Kishore Patil, under whose name the guest house room was booked. We want a transparent inquiry, which is why instead of waiting for the committee to submit its report, we have decided to first suspend the officer and then conduct the parallel inquiry. " — With inputs from Clara Lewis & Anurag Bende
