Fresh trouble is brewing for Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar after a senior state Congress leader here alleged that he owned eight benami flats in a controversial housing society for MLAs in Worli here.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has issued notices to around 10 politicians in Shubhada Housing Society for illegally modifying the building.
Pawar is said to have converted two shops into a gymnasium and another into an office. The other politicians who were issued notices are Gopinath Munde, Maharashtra Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anil Deshmukh, his son Salil Deshmukh, former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, State Congress chief Manikrao Thakare, NCP vice-president Anna Dange and former minister of state Pratap Singh Mohite Patil.
“Ajit Pawar has eight flats on four floors of the building. He has taken the flats in eight different names,” alleged Ranjit Deshmukh, Shubhada Housing Society chairman. He said each flat had a carpet area ranging from 600 to 1000 sq ft and cost `2 crore onwards.
Deshmukh said Pawar was not the only politician to indulge in such tactics. According to him, Congress MP Vijay Darda has acquired flats in the building through benami transactions.
Deshmukh also accused BJP leader Gopinath Munde of illegal constructions in the building. The Shubhada and Sukhada housing societies were formed by MLAs and MLCs. While applying for its membership, the elected representatives claimed that as they did not own a house in Mumbai, the government had allotted them land at low rates in Worli.