NCP leader Dhananjay Munde
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Problems compounded for Dhananjay Munde after anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania alleged a Rs 88 crore scam in the Agriculture department, when the NCP minister headed the agriculture department in the previous MahaYuti government.
Munde, an MLA from Parli in Beed district, is currently the state food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-headed MahaYuti government.
In the previous MahaYuti government, headed by Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, Munde was the agriculture minister and guardian minister of Beed district.
Addressing a press conference, Damania alleged that despite the central government's 2016 directive to transfer money directly to farmers' bank accounts under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the agriculture department purchased equipment and fertilisers for distribution to farmers at inflated rates.
“There are documents that show how a minister siphoned off farmers' money and violated laws. As per the government resolution (GR) on DBT, all scheme-related funds were to be transferred directly to farmers' bank accounts, except for certain government entities such as Mahabeej, KVK, and MAIDC, which produce their own goods. However, this rule was disregarded," Damania claimed.
Munde, however, has denied the charges. “The allegations are baseless,” he said, adding that just because he was keeping quiet it does not mean he has nothing to say. “I have been a leader of the opposition for five years,” he said.
The charges by Damania come days after she met deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP president, and apprised him of various issues involving Munde.
On the other hand, Munde had met Fadnavis and Pawar separately and said that if any of them asked him to resign, he would do so.
Munde’s close aide Walmik Karad was arrested in a case linked to the abduction, torture and murder of Massajog village’s sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Shiv Sena leader and social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat said Fadnavis will "certainly take notice" of the allegations and order an inquiry.