Mumbai : In what could lead to trouble for former minister of Public Works Department (PWD) in Maharashtra Chhagan Bhujbal, the State Home Department has permitted the Anti-Corruption Bureau to carry out an open inquiry into the NCP minister’s role in the construction of the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.
In addition, Bhujbal’s role in the construction of two more government buildings in Mumbai will be probed too. In 2006, under the Congress-NCP led government the contract of the construction of Maharashtra Sadan which is the state’s official guest house in Delhi, was given to a company called K S Chamankar Enterprises for Rs 100 crores. The allegations are that out the Rs 100 crore some of the money went to two companies – Origin Infrastructure private limited and Ideen Furniture – both allegedly controlled by Bhujbal’s relatives. Between February 12, 2010 and Januray 20, 2012 Rs 74.10 lakh went to Ideen Furniture which are apparently controlled by the wives of Pankaj and Sameer Bhujbal, Vishakha and Shefali Bhujbal respectively. And between December 7, 2007 and May 9, 2011, Rs 36.77 lakh was paid to Origin Infrastructure which is allegedly controlled by Bhujbal and has one of his men, Sanjay Joshi as its owner.
According to a report submitted by the CAG, the construction of Maharashtra Sadan has caused heavy losses to the state exchequer. This has become one of the many inquiries initiated into the activities of NCP ministers recently.
