Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Anil Parab Accused Of Corruption; Complaint Filed

In a series of tweets, Parab said suspended officer Gajendra Patil has acted out of a grudge to malign his image and the MVA government as he was suspended following many complaints received from the state Transport department.

A complaint has been filed against Maharashtra Transport Minister and Shiv Sena MLA Anil Parab on Saturday, by a suspended motor vehicle inspector of the Nashik Regional Transport Office (RTO). The Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey has ordered an inquiry into the corruption charges.

In his complaint, the suspended officer, Gajendra Patil has mentioned the corruption to the tune of multiple crores in transfers and postings in the RTO department, an RTO official said according to PTI. He had also visited the police station on May 17.

Patil also alleged corruption at border check posts; settlement of cases against some private operators and illegal registration of BS-4 vehicles, he said.

He has named state transport minister Anil Parab and six senior officers of the RTO for their alleged role in transfers and postings of RTO officials, he said.

Panchvati Police had called the complainant to record his statement and submit documents, but he was not cooperating in the probe, the official said.

“Considering the seriousness of the complaint, it was not justifiable to neglect it. Accordingly, Nashik Commissioner of Police Deepak Pandey issued orders for a probe by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) on the complaint,” he said.

Pandey has directed the DCP to submit the investigation report in the next five days, he said.

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DCP Zone 1 and DCP Zone 2 will assist the DCP (crime) with the required manpower and other requirements, the official said quoting the CP’s orders. He said, if needed, the investigation team can take a few more days to complete the inquiry.

Meanwhile, minister Anil Parab has said the complaint filed against him, the state transport commissioner, and five other officers are baseless, politically motivated, and aimed at defaming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

In a series of tweets, Parab said suspended officer Gajendra Patil has acted out of a grudge to malign his image and the MVA government as he was suspended following many complaints received from the state Transport department.

The minister also alleged a “conspiracy” behind the complaint.

“The complaint is filed with a political motive as part of which (the complainant is) trying to project that the state government cannot do anything against such ministers and then demand an inquiry by the CBI through the high court,” he tweeted.

मंत्र्यांवर आरोप करून राज्य सरकार या मंत्र्यांचे काहीही वाकडे करू शकत नाही असे भासवून, उच्च न्यायालयामार्फत CBI चौकशीची मागणी करणे आणि सरकार व मंत्र्यांची प्रतिमा मालिन करणे, या राजकीय हेतूने केलेली ही तक्रार आहे.

— Anil Parab (@advanilparab) May 29, 2021

“Nashik police is investigating the complaint and the truth will come out before the public,” the minister said in another tweet.

Notably, senior NCP leader Anil Deshmukh had resigned in April, days after former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray claiming that the then state home minister had set a monthly target to collect Rs 100 crore from bars and hotels in Mumbai to some police officers and moved the high court.

The Bombay High Court then ordered a probe by the CBI which registered a case against Deshmukh and conducted searches at various places.