MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced to form a three -member committee under the Chief Secretary to investigate the Rs 206 crore purchase scam, exposed by the Express last month.
“We are ready to conduct an inquiry into any allegation of irregularities in purchase. The committee will also probe the purchases done by the government in the last 15 years,” Fadnavis informed the Legislative Council.
The Leader of Opposition, Dhananjay Munde, had raised the issue in which his cousin sister and Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde stands accused of flouting the purchase procedure.
Dhananjay alleged that there was a scam in the purchase.
He also demanded Pankaja’s resignation and an inquiry into the matter by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court.
Pankaja had cleared the Rs 206 crore purchase of several items including chikki (groundnut candy), water filters, mattresses, steel plates, books and medicines for the students at anganwadis on February 13 through the controversial rate contract system.
She also had allowed the purchase of chikki (groundnut candy) at a cost of Rs 80 crore. Later, it found that the chikki was adulterated. Dhananjay alleged that the chikki, though it was produced in 2013, was bought in March because the government did not want the supplier to suffer financial loss. Pankaja denied his allegation.
The Bombay High Court too had asked the government whether it was planning to investigate into the matter.