Bills scam: 5 officials held in Navi Mumbai

NAVI MUMBAI: The CBD police recently arrested five senior government officials in connection with the inflated demolition bills scam. The arrested include former deputy municipal commissioner (DMC) Amrish Patnigere, DMC (estate) N N Alhat, assistant municipal commissioner Diwakar Samel, chief finance and accounts officer Jaywant Dalvi, and accounts official Prakash Kamble.Patnigere is now posted at the urban development department in Mantralaya.
The police had earlier arrested seven persons in the case, including civic contractor H B Bhise, and Airoli corporator M K Madhvi.
Deputy commissioner of police (zone 1) Ashok Dudhe said, "The police have found evidence linking the five NMMC officials arrested in the scam.'' The five officials have been booked for forgery and cheating.
The main accused, contractor H B Bhise, was earlier arrested for overcharging NMMC and manipulating bill amounts sanctioned to his company for helping in demolition work. More than Rs 3 crore is said to have been overcharged by Bhise's company that lent its bulldozers, dumpers, and manpower for demolition.
NMMC spokesperson J N Sinnarkar said, "We are cooperating with the police. In fact, it was the NMMC that first filed an FIR at CBD in this regard."
Leader of Opposition in the NMMC, Congress' Ramakant Mhatre, said, "I welcome the police action."