Mayor files police complaint over taped conversation on Rs 100 crore development fund
An audio tape released by Sandeep Deshpande, MNS group leader in BMC, of his alleged conversation with mayor Snehal Ambekar over Rs 100 crore development fund sparked a controversy in political circles on Monday.
What has MNS alleged?
The mayor has the right to distribute funds worth Rs 100 crore reserved from the main BMC budget to corporators at her discretion for development work in their respective wards. MNS had alleged that Ambekar was distributing funds in connivance with contractors by taking percentages from corporators, while Ambekar filed a police complaint against Deshpande. After approaching the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against Ambekar, Deshpande had made the audio tape of his conversation with her public.
What were the repercussions?
Congress is putting tremendous pressure on the ruling party to immediately remove Ambekar from the post of mayor. Ambekar has filed a complaint against Deshpande at Azad Maidan police station. Creating a ruckus, opposition parties lambasted the Shiv Sena. They said that the Sena had made Kolhapur's mayor resign after the mayor was caught in a corruption issue, hence Ambekar must do the same as she too had 'opened a market for distribution of development funds', demanded Amberkar.
What are the cops saying?
"Ambekar had approached us and we are looking into the matter," said senior police inspector Narendra Singh of Azad Maidan police station. Meanwhile, Deshpande is slated to visit the ACB office today as the agency asked him to furnish more details.
Excerpts from the tape
Ambekar is heard discussing with Sandeep Deshpande distribution of funds to different corporators who have asked for it:
*Ambekar: We are finalising the allocation of funds. It is difficult to keep everyone happy. All the parties have sent letters demanding funds. We were supposed to give your two (Rs 2 crore) but can give you up to three (Rs 3 crore) maximum
*Ambekar: Corporators like Dilip Lande had approached the mayor for funds through contractors
*During the conversation, Deshpande takes examples of other corporators to whom she had apparently allocated more funds, which Ambekar denies
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}