The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Beed police, which is probing alleged irregularities, embezzlement, and corruption in the revised compensation for land acquisition under the Dhule-Solapur National Highway project, has significantly widened its scope. On Friday, officials confirmed that the investigation will now encompass the entire administrative chain, including subordinate officials, while also scrutinizing the properties of those under suspicion and their close relatives.
Scope of the Scam
The SIT has estimated the total scam amount at Rs 310 crore, of which Rs 73.4 crore has already been disbursed to beneficiaries. The probe initially focused on former Beed collector Avinash Pathak, who was arrested on May 7. After his police custody ended, Pathak was produced before a local court on Friday, which remanded him to judicial custody. SIT investigating officer and assistant superintendent of police Venkat Ram stated that the agency requested judicial custody while reserving the right to seek further custodial interrogation if needed later in the investigation.
Expanded Investigation
Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat revealed that the investigation has expanded beyond Pathak and will now scrutinize the role of every official involved in processing and moving the files under scrutiny. "The probe will now cover the entire chain. Properties of all responsible staff, officers, and their close relatives will be screened," Kanwat told TOI. He added that investigators are examining crucial evidence and tracing the movement of files to establish accountability at every level of the administrative hierarchy. "There are important developments. We are analyzing key evidence, tracking each file, and assessing the role of every subordinate linked to Pathak," he said.
Procedural Violations and Collusion
Sources indicated that officials are also trying to determine whether procedures were violated and whether there was any collusion among officials handling the files. The SIT is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all those responsible are brought to book, and the investigation is expected to continue for several more weeks as evidence is gathered and analyzed.
