Pune: Lokayukta Stops Payments To Contractors Who Worked For MLA Sunil Tingre On Internal Roads And Drainage Projects Within Housing Societies

Sumit Singh

Pune, 12th November 2023: Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice VM Kande (retd) issued an order on November 10, 2023, directing the Divisional Commissioner and the Collector to refrain from making any payments to contractors responsible for internal roads and drainage work within a society.

The directive came after amount was sanctioned from MLA Sunil Tingre’s local area development fund for these projects at Ashiana society and Karan Gharonda society in Vadgaonsheri.

The complaint, filed by activist Qaneez Sukhrani, alleges that MLA Sunil Tingre violated the Government Resolution (G.R.) dated July 12, 2016. The G.R. explicitly prohibits MLAs from utilizing funds for private property or cooperative societies. Sukhrani contends that Tingre utilized the funds for constructing internal roads and drainage within a Cooperative Housing Society.

In his response, Tingre did not deny the allegations but argued that the projects benefitted the common citizens, justifying the expenditure. He also emphasized that the authorities, including the Collector and Divisional Commissioner, approved the proposal before the work commenced.

Sukhrani has presented substantial documentary evidence supporting her claims, including relevant society documents authorizing the contractor to carry out the specified work. During arguments, the representatives of the Collector and Divisional Commissioner acknowledged that the internal road and drainage work had indeed been completed, despite their initial response.

Lokayukta Justice Kande concluded that the complainant successfully demonstrated that funds allocated to MLA Sunil Tingre were utilized for internal roads and drainage within the society. The G.R. of July 12, 2016, explicitly states that MLA funds should not be directed towards private properties or cooperative societies. Therefore, Justice Kande found that the Collector and Divisional Commissioner had erred in granting permission to Tingre for these projects, which was explicitly prohibited by the G.R.

In response to arguments from Tingre’s counsel citing a new G.R. dated June 22, 2022, permitting MLAs to spend funds on internal roads of societies, Lokayukta Kande clarified that the G.R. lacked retrospective effect and, therefore, would not apply to this case.

As a result, the order directs the Divisional Commissioner and the Collector to withhold payments to contractors involved in the internal road and drainage work. Furthermore, the Government of Maharashtra is instructed to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising a Town Planning Expert, Collector, and Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department. The SIT is tasked with re-examining the entire issue, including other proposed works like public toilets, beneficial for the residents in the area. The government is expected to review the SIT’s report and issue an appropriate Government Resolution. A compliance report must be submitted within twelve weeks, Lokayukta has recommended.

When contacted, MLA Tingre told Punekar News, “In 2019, I was elected MLA for the first time and had undertaken some development works for benefit of the people. Now, state government has issued a new GR and we are following that.”