Mumbai: Sandeep Yevale, a social activist, accused top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s former CEO Vishwas Patil, and real estate developer, Omkar realtors, of corruption by displaying on Wednesday ₹40 lakh in cash given to him as bribe to stop collecting information about a SRA project at Vikhroli’s Hanuman Nagar.
Yevale, a resident of Hanuman Nagar, said the SRA project had been pending for the past 22 years and BJP leaders, inlcuding MP Kirit Somaiya and MLA Ram Kadam, had asked him to not protest against the irregularities and to keep mum by taking money. “I have been filing RTI applications to gather information about our project which is pending from last 22 years. I was called by Mr Patil and asked me to make settlement with the builder. I was also attacked twice by builder’s goons and “When they realised I won’t back down, they offered me ₹11 crore,” said Yevale.
He received the first instalment of ₹60 lakh and then ₹40 lakh, off which he has done a sting operation. “I was told to shut up by Somaiya and Kadam. Even the local police force is under builder’s influence,” he said.
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Yevale said that he expects the government to take action against the builders. “I will be using ₹60 lakh for the organisation fighting against builders and ₹40 lakh will be donated to the CM’s relief fund,” he said.
