Pune: Pimpri Chinchwad municipal commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi has announced that the inquiry into alleged irregularities worth Rs 60 crore in the civic body's accounts department has been expanded. The probe now includes scrutiny of the quality and execution of the works for which payments were cleared. Speaking at the PCMC general body meeting on Tuesday, Suryawanshi stated that the scope of the committee, originally headed by an assistant municipal commissioner, has been broadened.
Expanded inquiry details
Suryawanshi informed the general body that four joint city engineers are conducting the inquiry. He said, 'We are examining the quality of the works, whether they were completed, and whether the work is commensurate with the amount paid.' He added that a final report on any irregularities is expected within a week and will be forwarded to the state government. 'I assure the House that those found guilty will not be spared and strict action will be taken,' he said.
Background of the controversy
The issue was raised by standing committee chairperson Abhishek Barne, who accused the chief accounts officer and director of the finance department, Pravin Jain, of being complicit. A preliminary report from the committee confirmed that rules were violated while clearing 14 unapproved bills worth Rs 60.18 crore on March 30. Jain has since been sent on compulsory leave.
Corporators' reactions
During Tuesday's meeting, several corporators, many from the BJP, said the controversy has tarnished the civic body's image. They condemned what they termed misinformation and alleged that some BJP corporators were wrongfully accused of signing sub-proposals that were used to clear the bills. These bills require approval from the standing committee and the general body.
Mayor Ravi Landge urged timely submission of the report, while BJP city unit president Shatrughna Kate called for strict action against those found responsible. 'The municipal corporation must operate transparently,' he urged.
NCP's Yogesh Behl concurred, stating, 'There is a standard procedure to clear such bills by the municipal corporation and that must be followed by all.'
Standing committee member Sulbha Ubale of Shiv Sena called this a 'scam' involving multiple people. 'In some cases, contractors or officials sought corporators' signatures on sub-proposals, while in others, corporators directly approached the chief accounts officer. Under the BPMC Act, such sub-proposals cannot be processed without approval of the standing committee or the general body,' she said.
However, BJP corporator Yogita Nagargoje, whose signature appears on the sub-proposals, said they acted in good faith. 'We were misled that the sub-proposals were being forwarded to the standing committee. It is incorrect to term it a scam; these were procedural irregularities, and the bills pertained to pending works,' she said.
