Prakash Mehta
Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday ordered a Lokayukta investigation against Housing Minister Prakash Mehta for alleged corruption and violation of norms in the MP Mills Compound project at Tardeo. An official in the Governor’s office confirmed: “Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has directed the state Lokayukta to probe into the alleged violation while sanctioning the scheme in the MP Mills Compound (Tardeo).”
Mehta is facing allegations of gross violation of Developmental Control Rules.
In June, he had sanctioned a project under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) facilitating transfer of additional building rights of slum-dwellers for project-affected persons thus doling out a windfall of Rs 500 crore to private developers. Another far more serious charge against Mehta is that he made a noting on the controversial project file citing he has informed the decision to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, later when the matter became public, Mehta confessed on the floor of the Assembly that the project was never discussed with Fadnavis. He said the file concerned was somehow not taken up for discussion when they met the chief minister.
When the issue was debated in the Assembly and the Council, the chief minister, in his reply indicated that the project was never discussed with him and that when it came to his notice, he immediately aborted the project. In the monsoon session on August 11 following pressure from the Opposition parties and preliminary facts pointing to violation of norms, Fadnavis announced a probe against all charges of alleged corruption in housing projects against Mehta.
Earlier, the chief minister had met the Governor to apprise him of the developments. Fadnavis also informed that he was willing to depose before the Lokayukta to clarify his own stand.
A source in the Governor’s office said: “In a letter to the Governor, the CM informed that he made a statement in both the Houses of state legislature that the Lokayuta would inquire into allegations against Mehta for sanctioning the permission in the stated SRA scheme.” Another source said: “The Governor ordered an investigation under sub-section (3) of section 17 of the Maharashtra Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayukta Act, 1971.”
Apart from the MP Mills Compound (Tardeo) project, Mehta finds himself in the dock in at least two other SRA projects, in Ghotkopar. The Opposition parties, along with documents submitted in the state Assembly and the Council, had alleged that the minister violated norms to favour his son Harsh and other relatives.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, said: “In one SRA case in Ghatkopar, Mehta favoured his son and relatives violating laid norms. The eligible candidates have been denied flats in the scheme.”
Another charge against Mehta is that he re-alloted redevelopment of a Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA)-owned transit camp at Pantnagar in Ghatkopar to a builder. It was done against norms as the MHADA had cancelled the allotment of the project to the same builder.
