Shinde-led Maharashtra Govt To Probe BMC’s 25-Year Financial Records

The state government said that it has set up a committee of three senior officials to investigate the accounts of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and learn about where the civic body spent money in the past 25 years. This move seems to target Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and has vexed the party.

In response to a discussion on supplementary demands about the urban development department, Maharashtra minister Uday Samant stated in the state assembly on December 12 that the government will present a white paper on BMC's finances during the assembly's Budget session in February or March of next year.

In 1985 the Shiv Sena came to power in BMC. In the last elections held in 2017 before the party split into two factions led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena and BJP finished neck-and-neck, winning 84 and 82 seats, respectively.

Samant stated that the investigation will be conducted by the Planning ADS, the Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department, and the Director of the Audit Team of the Finance Department.

Speaking about the committee’s probe, he said that they will investigate the alleged financial irregularities over the last 25 years in BMC and submit a report to the government.

During the discussion, Bharatiya Janata Party Legislator Yogesh Sagar and several other Mumbai MLAs demanded an audit of BMC’s finances.

A special investigative team (SIT) was also established by the government in June 2023, to look into claims of corruption in nine BMC departments. The Comptroller and Accountant General, whose yearly budget exceeds INR 52,619 crore, red-flagged a number of contracts that the city had awarded.

Commenting on the issue, Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Sanjay Raut said to do an audit of the last two year’s regime of the current government before auditing the BMC.

Sanjay Raut said an audit of municipal corporations operated by the Shinde-led government in Nagpur, Thane, and Pune, should be conducted before the BMC’s audit. Tell us if there are no auditors present and they are unable to comprehend. Shiv Sainiks will clarify to them that we are competent auditors as well.

Shvi Snea (UBT) Leader Anil Parab said that their party is not against the probe, but they want the state government should also order audits of other civic bodies being run by the ruling parties.

Parab said that the investigation is perceived as an attempt to hit the Uddhav Thackeray side of the Shiv Sena. Except for the last five years, the Shiv Sena and BJP ruled the BMC jointly for 25 years. Action should be taken against all those accountable for the alleged corruption and irregularities. Not just Mumbai, since it was under the Shiv Sena, but also Nagpur, Pune, Thane, and other municipal corporations should be the subject of the investigation. This is merely an attempt to discredit us and an abuse of authority, he said.

On being asked if a similar probe would be conducted for the municipal corporations of Pune, Nagpur, and Kalyan-Dombivili as demanded by the opposition, Samant said there was no reason to demand such a probe and investigations would be conducted as and whenever required.