Accused of hiding information and for allegedly giving false information in his application for the prestigious President's medal, Chief Fire Officer (Incharge) of Mumbai Fire Brigade Shashikant Kale was on Wednesday removed from his post. The issue has become a matter of embarrassment for the country’s oldest fire brigade.
The action against Kale came after the civic administration and BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal himself found that he (Kale) had hidden information of corruption charges against him while applying to be considered for the President’s Meritorious Service Awards, which are awarded on Republic Day.
Chahal has now written to the Maharashtra urban development department to remove Kale’s name from the list of officers who will be recommended by the Maharashtra government to the President’s Office for the prestigious award. On November 24, Chahal had written to Mahesh Pathak, Principal Secretary - Urban Development Department (UDD), informing that Kale had filed “false” information in the application form that has to be filled out by those who wish to be recommended for the President’s award.
According to BMC officials, Kale, a deputy chief fire officer who was given the additional charge of the CFO, in his application recommending his name for the award, had not disclosed that in a span of 14 years, he had been suspended twice on the charges of corruption and that there had been adverse/negative noting in his Annual Confidential Report (ACR). An inquiry in this matter has been constituted against Kale
Meanwhile, deputy chief fire officer, K V Hivrale, has been given the additional charge as CFO. Joint Municipal Commissioner (General Administrative) Milin Sawant issued an order on Wednesday stating that Kale should no longer hold the charge of CFO and that this responsibility should be given to Hivrale.
