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Labour chief under lens yet again, this time for sex crime and graft

This is the third time that an inquiry committee has been appointed to investigate the allegations against Mohan Dhotre.

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The state labour department has ordered a departmental inquiry against welfare commissioner Mohan Dhotre into allegations of sexual harassment and financial misappropriation in the labour welfare board.

This is the third time that an inquiry committee has been appointed to investigate the allegations against Dhotre.

Two committees, appointed to inquire into the allegations, including sexual harassment, financial misappropriation and illegal recruitment, ruled to terminate the commissioner from service.

But, ministers from the labour department turned down the recommendation and restricted the punishment to revoking two of his increments.

The department, in its notes, has criticised the decision of the ministers and stated that the punishment given to the officer was too meagre.

The department has now appointed SG Dabhade, a labour development officer, to conduct the inquiry.

Dhotre had initiated a recruitment of 241 posts in the labour welfare board against the sanctioned number of 153 in 2005. It was alleged that he had recruited his relatives illegally without conducting written exams.

This recruitment was later withheld and action was recommended against Dhotre.

Dhotre, defying government orders, had also ordered the construction of labour welfare centres in 15 districts.

The contracts allotted involved misappropriation of funds. An inquiry was initiated by the department.

The labour department has now directed the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) to initiate action against the officer.

In February, the ACB was requested to inquire into misappropriation of funds in the labour welfare board in the last 10 years.

An official from the labour department said, “The officer is being shielded by political leaders. The issue was raised in the legislative assembly on a couple of occasions, but no action was taken against him.”

Dhotre claimed: “Though the committee of officials held me guilty, the committee of then labour minister gave me a clean chit.  Still, a fresh inquiry has been initiated by the principal secretary of the labour department.”

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