Opposition to move court against Vinod Tawde, OSD

Opposition has decided to move court against State Education Minister Vinod Tawde and his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Dr Charudutt Shinde in connection with the cash-for-work-order scam, Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Nawab Malik said at a press conference on Thursday in Mumbai.

DNA had run a series of stories revealing the statement by a desk officer who was suspended for introducing names of contractors in a Government Resolution despite them not being named in the original list. He revealed that he had made the changes as per Dr Shinde's instructions and had also given him the Rs one lakh he demanded.

Malik said that there is enough documentary evidence to show that a certain percentage of the work cost is sought against approval of the contracts in the minority department.

"Budgetary allocation for all the departments is close to Rs 40,000 crore annually. One can only imagine the level of corruption here, considering Shinde is Tawde's OSD. What's so special about Dr Shinde that despite several complaints against him, he has not been suspended? Matters related to him are not even properly probed. On the other hand, Shashikant Salunkhe, the desk officer who revealed the name of Dr Shinde and his modus operandi, has been suspended," Malik said.

Salunkhe had revealed in his statement that he had emailed and sent (via WhatsApp message) the list of contractors to Dr Shinde, as per the OSD's instructions.

Malik demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis take immediate cognizance of this matter and initiate a probe through the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). "There were so many fraud cases – such as issuance of the bogus medical and physically handicapped certificates — against Dr Shinde when he was the district surgeon in Bhausaheb Hire Government Medical College and Hospital at Dhule," Malik said. "BJP MLA Anil Gote had also complained against Shinde to CM Fadnavis and Tawde in 2015. Despite this, he was appointed as the OSD to Tawde."

Malik said that they will raise this issue in the state Assembly and go to court against the minister and his OSD. "The minister is trying to hush up the matter by ordering a mere departmental inquiry. We will not let it happen. We will expose Tawde and his officials' corrupt practices," Malik said.