CM to take final decision on findings against Swarup

MUMBAI: Chief minister Sushikumar Shinde will take a final decision on the findings of the inquiry report which has accused senior IAS officer Govind Swarup and two others of "misuse" of funds belonging to the Maharashtra Film Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC), state cultural affairs minister Ashok Chavan said on Thursday.
An inquiry into the alleged financial irregularity in the MFSCDC was conducted by three directors of the corporation - Ramdas Phutane, Sunil Karve and Anjali Pathare.The probe related to the misutilisation of Rs 20 crore.
The three-member probe committee has held that Mr Swarup, the then managing director of MFSCDC, and the film body''s finance and accounts officer A.G. Shukla colluded with a TV serial producer Shahab Ahmed.
Mr Swarup has strongly refuted the allegation and has claimed that it was part of a slander campaign against him.
The economic offences wing of the Mumbai police is also conducting an inquiry, as public money running into crores of rupees is involved.
Addressing a press conference at Mantralaya on Thursday, Mr Chavan said, "the state government has accepted the inquiry report and the final decision in this case will be taken by the CM and chief secretary".
"As Mr Swarup is a senior IAS officer, any decision on action to be taken against him will have to be taken by the CM," he said. Among other charges levelled against Mr Swarup and Mr Shukla, the inquiry report has accused the two officials of "illegally pledging the MFSCDC''s fixed deposit of Rs 4 crores to Prasar Bharati for Mr Ahmed''s personal project ''Hum Ek Hai''."
The corporation suffered a loss of Rs 3.85 crores after Prasar Bharati invoked the guarantees, the report states. Mr Swarup said the corporation''s monies were pledged by Mr Shukla without his knowledge.