Govt orders probe into ‘job scam’ as MLA alleges involvement of Yuva Sena leader

In a point of information, Sagar alleged that Sardesai was the chairman of Hindustan Scouts and Guides while an individual called Rupesh Kadam was its secretary and Pankaj Chauragade, the treasurer.

Sagar said: “It was portrayed to be a government-approved organisation through which youngsters will be provided a training after which they will land a job as trainers of scouts and guides in schools. Rs 8 to 10 lakh each were taken from children of poor farmers. The youngsters had arranged the money by selling their farm land. These are children from Gadchiroli and Chandrapur. They were sent for a training at a Gondia school and they were trained there. After the training, an appointment letter was given to them saying that they will be hired by the school in which they were trained.”

However, Sagar said, when the youngsters went to the school with an appointment letter, they were told that it had no connection with Hindustan Scouts and Guides. “The youths then contacted Chauragade and they were told that the money has been passed on to Sardesai and it will be returned when he gets it,” Sagar said.

The alleged scam dates back to the period before the formation of the MVA government in 2019.

Sagar further claimed that when the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government came to power, the youngsters went to meet the then CM Uddhav Thackeray. However, it was not clear exactly when they met him. “But there is a pen drive in which they (referring to company officials) are heard saying that ‘now you have met the chief minister, you can do whatever you want. You will not get back a single penny’. I will send the pen drive,” said Sagar.

The legislator further said that if youths from Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts were duped, it was important to probe exactly how many people the company cheated after the MVA came into power.