Top civic officials acquitted in 2009 demolition scam

RELIEF NMMC audit had found inflated bills from the contractor from 2003 to 2009

CBD BELAPUR: Almost four years after they were arrested in connection with the alleged encroachment demolition scam, top Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation ( NMMC) officials, deputy municipal commissioner Namdeo Alhat and the then chief accounts and finance officer, Jaywant Dalvi, were acquitted by the court.

The decision is likely to be followed by the acquittal of some others who were also accused in the case. This decision comes as a huge relief to those acquitted.

In 2009, an NMMC audit had claimed that from 2003 to 2009, inflated bills were submitted by the contractor and the alleged scam has cost the civic body Rs3.20 crore. NMMC had lodged a police complaint in the case on May 17, 2009.

On September 8, 2009, the CBD police had arrested five top officials of NMMC, accusing them of being involved in the scam. The police had pressed charged of cheating and forgery by public servants against them. Deputy municipal commissioners NN Alhat, Amrish Patnigiri ( who was then transferred to the state government’s cess department and is now back in the civic administration), assistant municipal commissioner Diwaker Samel, the then chief accounts and finance officer, Jayant Dalvi, and assistant accounts officer, Prakash Kamble, had been called in by the police for questioning, following which they were arrested.

Earlier seven others, including the then Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and now independent corporator, MK Madhvi, contractor HB Bhise, an NMMC accountant Rajesh Patil and four sub- contractors, were also arrested.

The acquittal, on Saturday, came following a discharge application filed by the two accused before NS Lohare, judicial magistrate, first class at the CBD court. The case is at the stage of framing of charges.

Alhat said, “As per CRPC 239, we have legal rights to apply for discharge which we did. The court called upon the police department and the public prosecutor for their say and following a detailed hearing, a judgment was delivered.”

Sources confirmed that although DMC Patnigiri has also applied for a discharge, his hearing could not be conducted as he had reportedly failed to file a reply to an intervention application filed by Bhise.

In his order, the judge noted, “It is surprising to me how a co- accused can blame an accused of committing the crime.” The judge also ruled that the “offences alleged are not applicable against the accused and the charges are groundless.”