Nagpur: In a major twist in the NMC’s stationery scam, the complainant former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Sanjay Chilkar has been slapped with show cause notice by the civic body. Dr Chilkar is among eight more officials and employees who have been issued show cause notices.
The ex-CMO had filed the first police complaint on behalf of the civic body in the Bogus Contracts or Stationery Scam. A six-member committee headed by Ruling Party Leader Avinash Thakre submitted its inquiry report to Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari recently, recommending action against second contractor Shree Ganesh Sai Services, some more officials and employees.
According to sources, the NMC administration delayed action against officials and employees even though the inquiry report of the committee headed by Additional Municipal Commissioner Deepak Kumar Meena was accepted by Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B on February 10. The administration, apparently, was waiting for the inquiry report of the Thakre-led committee. It has taken action against officials and employees indicted by Thakre’s panel too.
It is pertinent to recall that on December 13, Dr Chilkar had lodged a complaint with Sadar Police Station against five firms owned by prime accused Padmakar ‘Kolba’ Sakode and his three family members. At that time, the officials had claimed Health (Medical) Department storeroom in-charge Prashant Bhatkulkar had exposed the scam. A few days ago Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Nagpur Police had booked and arrested Bhatkulkar for his involvement in the scam and nexus with Sakode.
According to reports, appointed on deputation for Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Chilkar had joined back his parent department — Public Health Department — just a few days ago. Dr Narendra Bahirwar has been re-appointed Chief Medical Officer. Dr Bahirwar is among the officials and employees served show cause notice. He got the notice for sharing user ID and password with subordinates who helped Sakode create bogus bills in the e-governance system.
Retired Deputy Commissioner Dr Pradeep Dasarwar and clerk Suresh Shivankar were also given notice for sharing user ID and password. Notices have been slapped on auditor Shobha Gandre for clearing Sakode’s bills in a negligent manner. Clerks Sunita Shahu and Sunita Patil got notice for helping Sakode in generating bills online, and former Chief Accounts and Finance Officer Hemant Thakre has to explain clearance to six of 259 bogus contracts. In all, 20 officials and employees now face action in the scam. Five of them have been suspended.
The Thakre-led committee submitted a 200-page report, including observations and recommendations running into 17 pages. The panel held 14 meetings and investigated as much as possible with the help of retired judge S P Muley. The scam is big and the committee did not have sufficient time, as the general body gave it only one month. Also, the current tenure of Corporators will end on March 4, before which the general body will have to discuss and take a decision. Other members of the committee were Leader of Opposition Tanaji Wanve, BSP Corporator Vaishali Narnawre, BJP Corporators Sandip Jadhav and Sanjay Balpande.
However, the committee did not investigate contracts and payments made to contractors before April 1, 2020. Similar inquiry was also conducted by the Meena-led committee. Thakre and other members have reportedly focussed on shortcomings and flaws of officials and employees. The committee could not get experienced officials from accounts and finance, so it was unable to find any more irregularities.
