In what came as a surprise, the name of its senior State NCP leader and former State Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare did not figure in the charge-sheet filed by State Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) before a special court at Thane in the Kondhane dam scam case.
Though there had for some time been speculation in the State political circles that Tatkare might be named as one of the accused in the scam, the ACB did not name him as an accused as it filed a 3,000 page charge-sheet against six former irrigation department officials in the Kondhane dam scam case.
Having registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act at Thane’s Kopri Police station September 3, 2016, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the ACB had investigated the scam for the past one year under section 173 (8) of Cr.PC.
In its charge-sheet, the SIT named Nisar Fateh Khatri, partner of FA construction of FA Construction and FA Enterprises and five officials of the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC) — Devendra Shirke, executive director, R D Shinde, P B Sonawane, both former chief engineers, AP Kalokhe, Superintendent Engineer and Rajesh Rite, then executive engineer – as accused in the case.
Tatkare and NCP’s former deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was the State Irrigation Minister between 1999 and 2010, have been under the scanner for the alleged irregularities in the irrigation projects in Raigad district in Konkan region during the previous DF Government’s rule.
Both Pawar and Tatkare had been questioned by the State ACB in connection with the alleged irregularities in the projects executed by executed by the KIDC.
Tatkare had taken over as the State Water Resources Minister, after Pawar was elevated as the deputy Chief Minister and handed the portfolios of Finance and Energy in 2010.
The Kondhane project, which involved the construction of a across Ulhas river at Karjat in Raigad district, was approved by the previous DF Government on May 19, 2011. Immediately afterwards, the State Government called for quotations. FA Constructions and FA Enterprises submitted separate quotations even though both belonged to the same owners. The State Government granted the contract to FA Constructions even though it had allegedly failed to fulfil the terms and conditions.
The project’s cost estimates were increased from the original Rs 80 crore to Rs 327 crore. No permission was taken for the cost escalations. The dam height was allegedly increased in violation of rules for the benefit of the private company which had submitted bids in the name of two smaller firms.
The SIT investigations have revealed that the project was undertaken even before the dam designs were approved by the Design Institute and permissions were obtained from the Forest Department and Environment Ministry.
Though the project had been approved way back in 1984, it had remained on paper before KIDC’s executive director, R D Shinde in 2010.
The investigations have also revealed, the original proposal was signed by the then chief Engineer Sonawane and approved by Shirke. On August 16, 2011, water resources secretary and KIDC managing director E B Patil signed the proposal, which was later signed by Tatkare.
The multi-thousand irrigation scam, involving several projects, had come to light in September 2012. Ajitdada had resigned from the deputy chief minister’s post on September 25, 2012, attributing his decision to the media reports on the alleged irregularities in the awarding of 38 irrigation contracts worth Rs 20,000 crore in Vidarbha region during 2009, without seeking the mandatory clearance from the governing council of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC).
Aafter the state government subsequently came out with a white paper on the irrigation projects in the state, Ajitdada was re-inducted as the deputy chief minister in December 2012.
Soon after Ajitdada’s return to the State Cabinet, the DF government appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by irrigation expert Madhav Chitale, to look into the various aspects of the irrigation scam.