Mumbai's 'Cooker Scam': BMC's Overpriced Procurement and Unauthorized Distribution Exposed
A complaint filed by advocate Nikhil Kamble alleges that the BMC purchased 50,000 pressure cookers at an inflated price and handed them over to MLA Dilip Lande for distribution as freebies.
BmcMumbaiCooker ScamCorruptionDilip LandeReal Estate MumbaiAug 12, 2024
According to the complaint, the BMC had purchased the cookers as part of a scheme to help the urban poor, but instead of distributing them to the needy, the corporation handed them over to Lande, who stored them in his premises and distributed them as if they were his own.
Kamble alleged that Lande was seeking re-election during the upcoming assembly elections and was using the BMC's property to woo voters. He drew the attention of BMC officials to the alleged misuse of civic property by Lande, but there was no response since the MLA belongs to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's party.
The complaint further alleges that the cookers were purchased by the BMC at a price four times higher than the market rate. According to one of the BMC invoices accessed by the complainant, the corporation purchased 1,000 cookers from the Boraivali-based Gurukrupa Enterprise at a cost of Rs. 24.98 lakhs, which works out to Rs 2,498 per cooker against the retail price of Rs 600.
Kamble has alleged corruption in the procurement of cookers and has demanded that Lande, his party workers, and the officials concerned be booked. He said the BMC had illegally handed over its property to Lande and the latter and his workers, in turn, distributed them even though they were not authorized to do so.
The 'L' ward of the BMC had procured 50,000 cookers and instead of storing them in the civic godown, they were illegally handed over to Lande, who kept them in his premises before distribution. A cooker with a capacity of three-litres is available at an average cost of Rs. 600 and can maximum go as high as Rs. 800, but the BMC has purchased it at the cost of almost Rs. 2,500.
Apart from this, the local MLA has been distributing these cookers for almost a month by putting up hoardings which clearly promote himself and his party. 'This is misappropriation of municipal property,' said Kamble, adding that the cookers have been stored in private godowns of Chandivali instead of BMC's store rooms.
Kamble told the Free Press Journal that even after he pointed to the illegality, the BMC failed to take action. It was only after his complaint reached the police commissioner that matters started moving and a probe was ordered.
The investigation officer, Assistant Inspector Hindurao Chaudhari, said he had summoned the Assistant Municipal Commissioner Dhanaji Hirlekar to record his statement, but the latter pleaded for time 'since he was busy with the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.'
Hirlekar told the Free Press Journal on Monday, 'The MLA is a public representative and we are getting the cookers distributed through him. His banners look like it is his and his party's initiative, but we cannot do anything about the banners. However, I can confirm that the cookers are in the BMC's possession safely stored in our municipal store.'
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