Devendra Fadnavis orders probe against MSRDC chief over land grabbing case

Mumbai: The Congress-NCP Opposition in both the Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature on Wednesday demanded the removal of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) vice chairman and managing director Radheshyam Mopalwar over some audio clips in which he was purportedly heard fixing a deal for a plot.

The opposition members in the Legislative Assembly also shouted slogans demanding removal of housing minister Prakash Mehta over the transfer of development rights to a project in the city without consulting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadnavis assured both the Houses that an inquiry would be conducted in the alleged wrongdoings by the official and, if found guilty, action would be taken against him.

Moving an adjournment motion in the Legislative Council, Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde read out the transcripts of the purported conversation of Mopalwar with a businessman, allegedly pertaining to a deal for a plot in suburban Borivali.

“There have been a total of 550 calls by Mopalwar to fix the deal. When these call recordings are sent to a forensic laboratory, it will be clear that the person is indeed Mopalwar. These calls have been recorded, transcribed and translated by a company approved by the Maharashtra government”, Munde said.

Responding to the opposition charge, Fadnavis said all important posts to Mopalwar were given during the previous Congress-NCP government.

“I have heard the audio clip that was aired by a news channel and I am verifying it. Even the news channel has given a disclaimer that the clip is unverified. However, we will conduct an inquiry over the clips within a month. If he is found guilty, strict action will be taken against him”, Fadnavis said.

Munde then demanded that if Mopalwar cannot be suspended, he should at least be transferred from the Samruddhi corridor project or else the chief minister will lose peoples’ faith.

To this, Fadnavis said that Mopalwar’s current position has no relation with the audio clips that have surfaced. However, if the government finds him that he is in a position to influence the inquiry, he will be transferred.

Fadnavis had two days back ordered an inquiry into the transfer of development rights to a project in the city, after the opposition targeted housing minister Prakash Mehta over the issue.