Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai)

Khadse scrapped meet’s minutes before quitting, CM signed too

- Ketaki Ghoge Eknath Khadse

MUMBAI: A day before former revenue minister Eknath Khadse resigned over allegation­s of graft and conflict of interest in the Bhosari land deal, the minister had ordered that the minutes of a controvers­ial meeting held on April 12, 2016, be scrapped.

HT has accessed a copy of the order, issued on June 3, 2016, which cancelled the minutes of the April meeting, stating that a high court petition in the matter was pending and no action could be taken to influence the case.

It also said that the chief minis“the ter’s review was necessitat­ed as the issue pertained to two department­s — industries and revenue.

The order bears the signatures of both Khadse and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

industries department should have intimated the government that a high court petition in the matter is pending before issuing a notice for the meeting,” says the order.

“Since a petition is pending, no action can be taken that is seen to influence the hearing and as such the draft minutes of the meeting have been cancelled. After the high court’s final order in the case, a decision can be taken about the future course of action.” The minutes had been cancelled amid Opposition parties’ demands that Khadse should be sacked over conflict of interest.

CONTINUED ON P 12

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