Nagpur/Mumbai: A well-intentioned donation to a State Government initiative by a tainted person has put Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on a sticky wicket. A photograph of the cheque handing over function has left the Chief Minister and the State Government embarrassed.
The tainted man, identified as Nevada Putman, who is slapped with as many as 14 cases — including one of beating up a policeman — not only managed to get a photograph clicked with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, but the CM also tweeted the photo, along with a note of thanks. The tweet triggered a major controversy. Questions are also being raised over the police who apparently bungled and fumbled in letting the tainted man go near the Chief Minister considering the high-profile security provided to the VVIP.
Thank you Andreena Putman for contribution of Rs. 51,000/- for #JalYuktShivar Abhiyan ! pic.twitter.com/O4RHVqOQDc
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— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 31, 2015
The man in question not only managed to get a photograph clicked with Chief Minister but the CM also tweeted the photo, along with a note of thanks. On August 31, Nevada Putman donated Rs 51,000 to Fadnavis for the latter’s pet project, Jalyukt Shivar. Putman had put the name of his wife, Andreena, on the cheque.
However, Nevada Putman claims he’s been acquitted in all but one case, the one of assaulting a constable. He says he hadn’t assaulted anyone and there was only a verbal fight.
Santosh Bhandare senior police inspector, Bangur Nagar Police station, said, “There are 14 cases registered against Nevada Putman. Of these, two are with the Bangur Nagar police and the remaining are at the Malad Police station. The last case was registered in 2010.”
Nevada, on the other hand, claims that he has been acquitted in all but one case, but the police are still maintaining old records, as he hasn’t yet submitted the records of his acquittals to them. “Currently, I have only one case against me, which is of beating the constable and even that is not true.
“I never hit anyone, I just had a verbal fight. Even the case of me having arms was not true, it was just a toy gun. I will soon submit to the police the records showing that I have been acquitted in almost all the cases and will ask them to remove my name from the records,” he said.
City BJP Vice-President Haider Azam, who took Nevada to meet the Chief Minister and also features in the photograph that was tweeted, said, “I don’t know the background of Putman. He is socially active in our area. He organises Ganpati and is a social worker.”
Asked about the claim that he had put the name of his wife, Andreena, on the cheque to avoid a controversy, Nevada said, “My wife couldn’t go to donate the cheque, so I donated it on her behalf. When I am doing good things, why do people have to take it in a negative way?”
Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan
Maharashtra Government has launched the project ‘Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan’ in a bid to make Maharashtra a drought-free state by 2019. The project involves deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams, work on nullahs and digging of farm ponds.
