Eight officials suspended in cobbler scamEight senior Co-operation Department officials will be suspended for their role in the multi-crore cobbler scam, co-operation and Textiles minister, Dr Jaiprakash Mundada, announced today in the legislative assembly.
The officers facing suspension are A M Ghurate (Dhule), D T Bute (Nagpur), A U Kunder (retired), K R Gavle (Jalgaon), P A Haldankar (Nashik), K R Jivhekar (Thane), A B Pawar and R K Shimpi (Solapur). Mundada told the legislature that all these officers were in Mumbai when the scam broke and had been transferred to their present postings as a `punishment'. ``The Mumbai police, while investigating the scam, informed the state government that these officers were creating obstacles in the investigation, so they were immediately shunted out of Mumbai. The officers were conducting audits for most of the fictitious co-operative cobbler societies and passing the same without any suspicion.
An inquiry will be initiated against all of them and if foundguilty, they will punished severely. As of today, the amount of loans being issued to non-existing societies stands at Rs 69 crore,'' Mundada said during question hour. In a rare show of unity, the entire house, including the opposition and the treasury benches, shouted slogans in front of speaker Sharad Tasare demanding the officers' suspension. Mundada's statement that ``it is not proper to compel a minister to take a decision by pressure tactics'' only fuelled the ire of members like leader of the opposition Madhukar Pichad, Dilip Walse-Patil, Madhav Kinhalkar, Rohidas Patil, R R Patil, Sambhaji Pawar, Narsaiyya Adam, Waman Chatap, Meenakshi Patil, Shashikant Sutar, Kirit Somaiya, Mohan Raichura, Subhash Wankhede and Manisha Nimkar.Unauthorised nursing home to be shut down
Health minister Dr Daulatrao Aher said Nari Institute, an unauthorised nursing training centre for women in Dadar, will be closed down with immediate effect. A case will also be registered against the proprietor of the institute,Dr Deshpande.Aher was replying to a question by opposition members in the Legislative Council during the question hour. The members wanted to know if a case of molestation filed by a former student against Dr Deshpande of the institute had been withdrawn. ``The complainant has withdrawn her complaint in November, 1997, and the institute is still functioning in Dadar,'' Aher said. The reply surprised everyone on the floor, including deputy chairperson Professor N S Pharande, who said the institute should be closed down immediately and a fresh case filed against Dr Deshpande. The minister gave the house an assurance that the state government will initiate action.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
