Case against JJ prof in gold medal scam

MUMBAI: It took the state well over two months to act on a DNA story (Gold to farmer turns out to be cheap silver, September 17), of fake gold medals awarded to farmers. But at least it was better late than never.

On Thursday, the government-run Krishi Ayuktalaya based in Pune lodged a case against Prof LM Yeole, head of the art and sculpture department at the JJ School of Arts, Mumbai for misappropriation of 90 gm of gold valued at Rs 90,000.

Senior inspector, Prakash Shishupal of Azad Maidan police station, said, “We have yet to arrest Yeole.” The deputy director (agriculture) of Krishi Ayuktalaya Uday Deshmukh registered the complaint.

As per his statement, the state agriculture department felicitated 10 farmers with the Vasantrao Naik Krishi Bhushan Puraskar. The award comprises a 14-carat gold medal weighing 50 gm, Rs 25,000 and a scroll of honour.

Krishi Ayuktalaya had entrusted Yeole with the responsibility of preparing 10 gold medals which were then given to the farmers at Raj Bhavan on October 26 last year.

The scam was exposed in DNA when once of the recipients, Dadaji Ramji Khobragade of Nanded village Chandrapur district decided to raise cash by selling the medal. To his horror, he discovered it was worth a paltry Rs 500 because it turned out to be inferior silver with a gold coating.

A distressed Khobragade brought up this issue with the chief minister and the directorate of agriculture, Pune. All the ten medals were checked and it was then discovered that there was a 90 gm shortage of gold. MP Pawar, dean of JJ School of Arts, refused to comment on the matter.