Maharashtra Minister Subhash Deshmukh in soup over bungalow

Maharashtra’s Cooperative, Textile and Marketing minister Subhash Deshmukh is in trouble over the construction of an illegal bungalow on an over two-acre plot that was reserved for the fire brigade in Solapur. 

The Opposition sprung into action and demanded the BJP minister’s resignation and the demolition of his bungalow on Saturday. It termed the bungalow, “an epitome of corruption in the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government.” 

The Solapur Municipal Corporation submitted a 26-page report with the High Court (HC) which says that the minister had constructed the bungalow illegally on fire brigade’s reserved plot.  

Social activist Mahesh Chavan had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the HC on August 10, 2016, saying that Deshmukh had misused his power and constructed the unauthorised bungalow on the plot. The HC had asked the municipal corporation to conduct an inquiry and submit the findings report. However, a contempt case was filed against the municipal corporation later in court over its alleged dilly-dallying on the report. The court then asked for a report to be submitted before May 31. 

Sources said that according to the report, Deshmukh had violated norms and constructed the bungalow illegally. “The corporation has also decided to recall permissions given for construction. In 2011, the Solapur Municipal Corporation had refused permission to Deshmukh for the bungalow’s construction on the same plot. He then revised his plan and sought permission again for the construction of a 1BHK house. He also wrote to the corporation saying he would take responsibility if anything goes wrong in future. Gradually, he increased the construction and developed a swanky bungalow on the two-acre plot. All was done without proper permissions from the corporation,” said a source from Solapur.

When contacted, Subhash Deshmukh said that he had not done anything illegal. “If the court finds anything wrong with my bungalow and asks me to demolish it, I am ready to pull it down myself. I have not grabbed anyone’s property. I have used my hard-earned money to construct this bungalow,” Deshmukh said. 

Deshmukh added that the municipal corporation had made a resolution which said that the land need not be reserved for the fire brigade. “The permission to construct the bungalow was given within the framework of the prevailing law. Nevertheless, I am ready to accept the court’s decision. I have full faith in the judiciary,” Deshmukh added.

Earlier, Deshmukh had allotted a Rs 12 crore fund from his ministry-controlled department to his own cooperative agro-based business firm -- Lok Mangal Cooperative.

Opposition Speak

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “Subhash Deshumkh has blatantly used the govt machinery. Earlier, CM Fadnavis had said that strict action will be taken against builders who construct illegally under the MOCCA. We hope that the CM will arrest his own minister under the same act.”