Maharashtra Minister Omprakash Kadu gets jail for not disclosing flat in nomination papers

Gopal Tirmare, the complainant in the case, earlier worked for Bacchu but parted ways with him due to some differences. Tirmare is presently a corporator from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Tirmare lodged a non-cognizable (NC) complaint with the Asegaon police in 2017 alleging Bacchu, while filing his nomination papers for 2014 Vidhan Sabha elections, did not mention that he owned a flat in Oshiwara.

Bacchu had taken a loan from a bank in 2009 and had registered the flat in his name in 2011. Although he showed a bank loan in the nomination papers, he did not mention the flat has been taken from the loan, the complainant said. This was done to mislead the Election Commission and the public, it was alleged. “We took permission from the court to convert the NC to FIR and investigated the case. A charge sheet was filed in 2018,” said investigating officer, inspector Ajay Akare. “We followed up the case. After the order came on Friday, Kadu was granted bail and has a month’s time to appeal against the order,” said API Milan Koyal, head of Asegaon police station.

Speaking to media persons after the order, Kadu said, “I will appeal against the order. It’s a conspiracy. I had once taken action against a Thanedar who cheated a poor man. He, along with others, then lodged the case against me.”

Kadu is a state minister and is in charge of Water Resources and Command Area Development, School Education, Women and Child Development, Other Backward Classes, Social and Educational Backward Classes, Vimukta Jatis, Nomadic Tribes and Special Backward Classes Welfare and Labour, as per Maharashtra government website.