Mumbai: After corruption in transfers and postings of police officers in the state came to light, similar allegations have surfaced concerning transfers and postings in the transport department.
Suspended Regional Transport Officer Gajendra Patil has approached the Bombay high court seeking an independent probe against the state transport minister Anil Parab and several other high-ranking officials in the state transport department alleging corruption and misconduct.
A bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar on Wednesday refused to pass any order before hearing all the concerned parties. Justice Shinde said: “We don’t want this court to be used for political vendetta. We have to hear all parties then decide. We are not expressing any opinion on merit.”
Patil has filed the petition through advocate VP Rane praying that the HC direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or any other independent agency to conduct an inquiry against Parab, and other officers on allegations of bribery, corruption in matters of transfers and postings in the transport department, and official misconduct among other things.
Apart from Maharashtra government and Parab, Patil had added several officials of the transport department as respondents in his plea.
In May this year, Patil had made the above allegations against transport minister Parab, state transport commissioner Avinash Dhakne, and five senior department officials.
Patil’s counsel Ranjeet Sangle argued that the suspended transport official had even written a letter to the Nashik Police Commissioner early this year. The Nashik CP conducted a probe into the allegations but said it did not find anything against the minister and others. An inquiry report was also prepared but never made public.
Subsequently, Patil was suspended from the RTO by state authorities.
Sangle requested the judges that directions be issued to submit a copy of this report in the HC.
The judges, however, said that they will not pass any orders in the petition before hearing all the respondents.
The HC has kept the petition for hearing on October 8.
