Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said State Roads Development Corporation Managing Director Radheyshyam Mopalwar, accused of corruption, has been removed from his post till a probe against him is completed within a month.
"Mopalwar will not continue in his post till the probe is over," Fadnavis informed both houses of the state legislature, which is construed a major victory for the opposition. He announced the probe would be completed within a month.
The Prime Minister's Office had sought a report from the state Chief Secretary with regard to alleged disproportionate assets amassed by Mopalwar, the Maharashtra State Roads Development Corporation Managing Director and Vice Chairman.
The PMO's communication followed a letter by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Anil Gote, who complained that Mopalwar had amassed assets worth over Rs 800 crore.
The 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was in charge of Fadnavis' pet showpiece projects, including the Rs 46,000-crore Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway.
Also Read
Attempting to turn the tables on the opposition, Fadnavis, however, asserted that the corruption allegations against Mopalwar pertained to his service during the previous Congress-NCP government which appointed him to the post.
"It was during your tenure that he was given a plum posting," Fadnavis said.
The developments come after the opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party pushed the BJP-Shiv Sena ruling combine into a corner over Mopalwar issue and demanded action against him.
The government climbdown came a day after BJP-SS legislators walked out of the legislative council on Wednesday after the Mopalwar issue raised political temperature as a video clip surfaced in which the officer was allegedly seen fixing a deal.
--IANS
qn/tsb/vt
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
