Maharashtra minister Gulabrao Patil involved in ₹400cr Covid scam: Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and executive editor of party mouthpiece Saamana Sanjay Raut has alleged that Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil was involved in a scam of Rs 400 crore during the Covid-19 crisis.

The minister, however, refuted the claims saying that he too has papers which show that only Rs 81 crore of the total allocation of under Rs 200 crore was spent in past three years in the district.

“Raut will have to explain as to how he arrived at the figure of Rs 400 crore when only Rs 81 crore was spent,” the minister said.

Raut, who reached Pachora in Jalgaon district for Uddhav Thackeray’s rally earlier in the day, told the reporters that he had evidences regarding the Gulabrao Patil’s corruption and he should be sending it to home minister Devendra Fadnavis very soon.

Gulabrao Patil challenged Thackeray's rally in Jalgaon

Gulabrao Patil, a firebrand Shiv Sena minister from Jalgaon, is also the guardian minister of the district. He had challenged Uddhav Thackeray’s rally at Pachora saying that his supporters won’t let the rally be conducted.

Replying to threats from Patil, Raut said that Shiv Sena (UBT) shall not only conduct a successful rally but also teach a lesson to the breakaway leader.

“As the guardian minister and president of the district planning committee during the Corona period, Gulabrao Patil purchased goods at a high price. These included oxygen ventilators. At that time, a ventilator worth Rs2 lakh was purchased for Rs15 lakh. Importantly, Chimanrao Patil, a member of the same gang (the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena), also raised questions about this corruption worth around Rs 400 crore. However, this matter is being suppressed,” Raut said.

The minister, however, refuted the claims saying that ‘Raut was misled’. Both the leaders also had a heated exchange of chosen expletives.