The NCP legislator from Parli is under fire from the opposition as well as some Mahayuti colleagues after his close aide Walmik Karad was held in an extortion case linked to the abduction and brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Massajog in Beed district on December 9
Dhananjay Munde. File pic
Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Suresh Dhas on Thursday accused Minister Dhananjay Munde of being involved in a Rs 300-crore scam during his tenure as the state's agriculture minister, and called for his resignation from the Mahayuti government, reported news agency PTI.
ADVERTISEMENT
Munde, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Parli in Beed district, has come under fire from both opposition parties and some of his Mahayuti colleagues following the arrest of his close aide, Walmik Karad, in an extortion case related to the abduction and brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Massajog in the same district on December 9.
According to PTI, Dhas, an MLA from Ashti, also in the same district, pointed out that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), had resigned following allegations regarding irrigation projects.
"Munde orchestrated suspicious transactions, including large-scale purchases that were not requested by farmers or regional officers. Proposals were sent and government resolutions issued on the same day. Recommendations from the state agriculture commissioner, Pravin Gedam, to carry out transactions through DBT were ignored," Dhas alleged at a press conference.
"Under the orders of Deputy Secretary Santosh Karad, advance payments were made for the procurement of Nano Urea, Nano DAP (Nano Di-Ammonia Phosphate), and measures to control snail infestations, all with the approval of the Chief Minister. However, Munde decided to bypass the existing DBT (direct benefit transfer) route for making payments to farmers. In the name of advance mobilisation of funds, Munde bypassed mandatory scrutiny committee approval from the chief secretary," Dhas further alleged, according to PTI.
He also criticised Munde for delays in fertiliser procurement, and said, "While crops such as cotton are harvested in December, fertilisers were procured only later in March. Munde manipulated the tender process to engineer a scam."
Items such as battery-operated pumps were purchased at inflated prices: BJP legislator
The BJP MLA further accused Munde of purchasing battery-operated pumps for Rs 3,425 each, when the actual cost was Rs 1,500, leading to a loss of Rs 45 crore to the state exchequer. Additionally, Dhas claimed that several items were purchased at inflated prices: "A bag of nano urea costing Rs 112 was bought for Rs 220, while nano DAP costing Rs 300 per bag was purchased at Rs 590. Metaldehyde, which costs Rs 480 per kilogram, was procured at Rs 1,275. Cotton storage bags costing Rs 577 each were bought for Rs 1,250," he said.
Dhas also alleged that the scam involved Rs 21 crore for nano urea, Rs 56 crore for DAP, Rs 45 crore for batteries, and inflated purchases of cotton storage bags.
"Munde and his associates have siphoned off Rs 180 crore," he claimed, adding that the Maharashtra Minister had altered a scheme launched on March 11, 2022, to boost food grain production, for which Rs 1,000 crore was allocated.
Dhas called for the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged scam and expressed surprise that Pawar had not yet demanded Munde’s resignation. "The corruption extends beyond Beed," he added, stating his intention to file a detailed complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, and the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Furthermore, Dhas alleged illegal payments of Rs 100 crore for transfers and promotions in the agriculture department under Munde’s tenure.
Social activist Anjali Damania has also levelled similar allegations against Munde, who served as agriculture minister from 2 July 2023 to November 2024. "Munde says he will file a defamation case against Damania. He should also file one against me if he believes what I’m alleging is wrong," Dhas said.
Munde has denied any connection to the sarpanch case and has refuted all allegations of irregularities during his time as agriculture minister.
(With PTI inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
