[Mumbai]Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde Accused of Rs 206 Cr Scam, Munde Pleads innocence
Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde was today at the centre of a controversy with the Congress accusing her of involvement in a “scam” by clearing purchases worth Rs 206 crore through Government Resolutions on a single day instead of inviting tenders, in violation of the norms.
The alleged purchases relate to a host of items including snacks+mats+ dishes + books for children under the Integrated Child Development Services by the Women and Child Development Ministry which Munde heads.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan demanded an inquiry by either the CBI or Anti-Corruption Bureau into the alleged irregularities,.
Asked if he would demand Munde’s resignation, Chavan said “Be it Pankaja Munde or Vinod Tawade (education minister caught in a row over educational qualification), this government would not remove anyone. After all, this the policy of the Modi government to brazen out all allegations.”
Minister Munde, however, denied any wrong-doing.
Pankaja, daughter of BJP’s Maharashtra stalwart late Gopinath Munde, also said her family had gone through a lot of stress (following her father’s death in a car crash) in the last two years and, as her son was not well, she had gone on a break to provide him “motherly touch”.
As per Maharashtra government’s norms, any purchase above Rs 3 lakh has to be done through e-tendering.