Youth Congress activist advocate Nikhil Kamble has decided to move the Bombay high court against the Rs 12.50 cr pressure cooker scam of Chandivali. Despite a wave of protest, Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLA from Chandivali Dilip Lande is continuing to distribute free pressure cookers which actually belong to the BMC. In fact, he has even got his name etched on to the cookers.
The distribution is continuing despite an ongoing police probe into the scam. The BMC had purchased 50,000 pressure cookers at a cost of Rs 12.50 cr. Instead of the civic body doing the distribution itself, it has handed over the vessels to Lande who is making it appear as if it is a gift from him to the people. The distribution is being done in the context of the assembly elections, which are round the corner.
The BMC's top bosses have failed to conduct an inquiry into the matter. However, following a complaint from Kamble, the police started its probe. But it has hit a roadblock since the assistant municipal commissioner concerned Dhanaji Herlekar, who purchased the cookers on behalf of the BMC, is not cooperating the investigation.
Assistant municipal commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar who purchased the pressure cooker on behalf of BMC | FPJ
On August 13, the Free Press Journal had reported about the alleged Pressure Cooker Scam wherein the BMC reportedly bought 50,000 cookers at four times higher cost than the market price (Rs2,498) and got them distributed by Lande. Through a series of events, the latter passed off the initiative as his own to woo voters ahead of the assembly polls, said complainant Advocate Nikhil Kamble, who has written a complaint to the BMC and police in the matter. The drive was actually a part of a municipal social welfare scheme meant for the underprivileged living in L ward.
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Following the direction of police commissioner, a probe had been initiated by Saki Naka police on the basis of Kamble’s complaint, but it has hit a roadblock as the assistant municipal commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar of ‘L’ ward is not cooperating with the police to record a statement in the matter.
However, as Vidhan Sabha polls come closer and sitting MLAs have indulged in distributing various freebies like laptops, tablets, umbrellas and more, Lande has been distributing BMC cookers to the residents of his constituency. Even after a complaint was filed in the matter and a police probe was initiated, he continues to distribute these cookers engraved with his name in various parts of the constituency through a series of events under the name of ‘Majhi Ladki Bahin Sanman Sohla’.
The MLA has been organising multiple cooker distribution events at Saki Naka’s Golden Nest Hall, Gomai Hall, Shethiya Nagar Hall, Asalpha’s Naliyawala Hall, Narayan Nagar’s Gebanshah Dargah Hall and Chandivali’s Prajapati Hall. The MLA has posted pictures from these cooker distribution events with party banners which say, “Chandivali Ki Yahi Pukar Fir Ek Baar Dilip Mama Aamdar”.
