Bogus tax receipt, Army officer’s struggles Thakre demands SIT probe into NMC’s 27-month Administrator rule

 

 

Highlighting two issues of irregularities in the civic body, Vikas Thakre, MLA, said this is just the tip of iceberg and demanded establishment of Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into 27-month rule of Administrator at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Interacting with mediapersons on Friday at Ravi Bhavan auditorium, Thakre mentioned two cases, one where a bogus tax receipt was issued to a resident in Gittikhadan, and another one of a serving Army officer, Lt Col Anant Bhagwat, who is running from pillar to post seeking justice. Lt Bhagwat’s case pertains to role of NMC officials in sanctioning commercial building on a Nazul plot in Dhantoli area, that was clearly earmarked for residential use only.

 

Thakre claimed that despite legal opinion that no commercial building construction is permissible on Nazul land, Town Planning authorities in NMC allegedly sanctioned building plan for G+8 building for a hospital. A plot (26/9) of 1622.9 sq mtrs was given on lease to Sumbh family by Collectorate. Ashok Bhagwat, former Vidarbha Ranji player, purchased plot of 789 sq mtrs in 1988 and constructed a flat scheme. In 2021, NMC authorities granted approval to construction of hospital on East side of the said plot, which Thakre claim is in violation of norms. The NMC engineers took into consideration entire original Nazul land while sanctioning building plan that provided extra benefit to the builder. As per the norms, unless both the parties owning the plot, Sumbh and Bhagwat family, gave consent, no construction could have been sanctioned.

 

Thakre claimed that nearly 16 engineers of NMC were involved and since last few years, Bhagwat is trying to get the anamoly corrected. In another case, a property holder residing in Manavta Nagar, Gittikhadan, was given bogus tax receipt of Rs 22,000 by an agent, who is actively involved with NMC officials of Dharampeth Zone, said Thakre. Shailendra Bhave had gone to Dharampeth Zone office to inquire about property tax about his property when the officials working there directed him to meet one Rahul Shirsat, who deals in property tax matters and liasons with civic officials, said Thakre. Now Thakre said they are going to lodge FIR against Shirsat and tax officials of NMC seeking action for issuance of bogus receipt. MLC Abhijeet Wanjari, Atul Kotecha, and others were also present at the press meet.