ARRESTED deputy collector Nitesh Thakur,who is under investigation in a disproportionate assets case, had received a large sum from real estate firm Shapoorji Pallonji, Home Minister R R Patil told the Assembly on Thursday. He said the police were investigating the reason for which themoneywas paid to the government official.
Thakur was arrested in March this year after Anti- Corruption Bureau teams found large stashes of cash, jewellery, luxury cars as well as evidence of large investments in raids on multiple properties owned by him.
Speaking during a discussion on corruption in the Assembly, Patil said, ?It has been found that Shapoorji Pallonji gave him a large sum. We are investigating the reason. A Dubai sheikh had also given him Rs 16 crore. Apart from this, he has invested large sums in land, hotels and apartments.? Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MLA Pravin Darekar said Thakur had assisted the real estate firm in bagging a lucrative Slum Rehabilitation Authority project in Kandivli. Assets worth Rs 248 crore have been unearthed from properties owned by Thakur so far, the minister said, adding that the process of identifying his assets is still underway.?Onelocker leads us to the key to another locker,? he said. ?This would be treated as a test case regarding disproportionate assets amassed by a government official.?
Patil said the government was serious about giving additional powers to the ACB. While there are 39 cases against government officials in which the ACB is awaiting permission for probe, he said not only would a final decision on these applications be completed in one-and-a-half months but the Home Department would also move to ensure that there is no delay in giving or denying permission to probe officials henceforth.
?If permission is not forthcoming from the government in three months, then it would be deemed as permitted for the ACB to investigate that official.? he Home Department will also make it mandatory before the next session of legislature for government officials to declare their assets, he said.