Maharashtra legislators fudged income for acquiring government flats: CAG

MUMBAI: Eleven Maharashtra legislators indicted in the yet-to-be-released CAG report, had declared their monthly income ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 12,500 to acquire large flats under the government quota in Ashirwad Co-operative Housing Society in suburban Mumbai.

According to the CAG report, which is yet to be tabled in the legislature, the legislators include Deputy Speaker Vasant Purke, EGS Minister Nitin Raut, Water Resources (Krishna Valley) Minister Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, Culture Minister Sanjay Deotale.

Purke, who was the EGS Minister at the time of allotment, had declared a total monthly family income from all sources of Rs 2,500.

Nimbalkar had declared an income of Rs 5,500, while Deotale had shown his income as Rs 12,500. Both were MLAs at the time of the allotment.

Raut showed his family monthly income of Rs 12,500. The other MLAs include Anilkumar Kher (Rs 5300), Jayant Sasane (Rs 5,400), Sudarshan Nimkar (Rs 4,000), Naresh Thakre (Rs 8,000), Ajit Ghorpade (Rs 10,000) and Sanjay Deshmukh (Rs 6,600).

The report says, Minister of State Ranjit Kamble and former MLA Chandrakant Chhajed own flats both in Rajyog and Ashirwad Co-operative Housing Societies.

Bhagyashree Patil, wife of Co-operative Minister Harshvardhan Patil, had declared her income as Rs 6,000 per month. The report says that while she was entitled to 41.82 sq meter of carpet area, she got 99.67 sq meter carpet area.

"Husband of the same member is the chief promoter and member of Rajyog CHS," the report said. However, Patil told reporters that he was only the promoter of Rajyog and not a member.

The report said, as per the monthly income declared by the legislators, they were entitled to 27.87 to 60.40 sq meter carpet area only. However, flats of carpet area of 99.67 sq meter were alloted to them.