Dead Excise officer transferred; Maharashtra government suspends clerk

MUMBAI: An Excise sub-inspector, who died in a road accident in July 2013, was transferred early this month from Kolhapur to Nashik, and now with the matter coming to light the Maharashtra government has suspended a clerk in the Excise Superintendent's office.

Excise sub-inspector Sandip Sabale was transferred from Daulat Cooperative Sugar factory (in Kolhapur district) to an Excise flying squad in Satana, Nashik, on July 7, along with the transfers of 181 sub inspectors, a statement issued by Chief Minister's Office said.

The transfer order was executed as the office of Kolhapur Superintendent of Excise had failed to file a report about Sabale's demise, it added.

"A clerk responsible for this in the Excise Superintendent's office has been suspended, and the Superintendent has been served a show cause notice and asked to explain the error," it said.

Congress leader Narayan Rane had raised this issue in the Legislative Council yesterday.

"Fadnavis and the entire chief minister's office is responsible for this. And this isn't an isolated case; there were large-scale irregularities with transfers and promotions of over 220 people in the last two weeks," Rane alleged.