A day after BJP MLA Suresh Dhas alleged that bogus bills worth Rs 73 crore were encashed during NCP minister Dhananjay Munde’s tenure as the district guardian minister, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar arrived in Beed on Thursday to a rousing reception by the party rank and file. He, however, choose to keep mum on Dhas’ allegations and also avoided speaking to the media. Pawar, who arrived in Beed to preside over his first meeting as guardian minister at the District Planning and Development Committee, first addressed a party meeting, where he issued a warning to those indulging in extortion and roaming around with pistols. Later, he presided over the DPDC meeting where MLAs cutting across party lines were present. Beed MP Bajrang Sonawane was also present. One of the MLAs present at the meeting later said the issue of “bogus” bills was not discussed. After the meeting, Pawar left without speaking to the waiting media. The DPDC meeting started around 10 am and wound up at pm. Pawar then quickly left through the backdoor. At a press conference in Beed on Wednesday, Dhas alleged during Munde’s tenure under MVA regime, bogus bills worth Rs 73 crore were submitted and encashed. He demanded a probe into his allegations and said he would submit proof to the deputy CM and Public Works Department. “I submitted a pen drive containing the proof to Ajit Pawar’s personal assistant,” he said. At the meeting, BJP MLC Pankaja Munde sat next to Pawar while Munde, who is at the centre of a controversy after Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh’s murder, sat a few chairs away from the deputy CM. Dhas said when he raised the issue of Rs 73 crore bogus bills, Pawar asked him to submit his complaint in writing. “Now I will submit the complaint in writing,” he said. Dhas also demanded that some police personnel under the scanner in Parli should resign. NCP (SP) MP Bajrang Sonawane said, “At the meeting, several issues were discussed. Pawar reviewed the development works being carried out in the district. I pointed that several ‘wrong’ works were approved in Beed district. The ZP CEO has given approval to several projects which were not in the development plan. At the meeting, I raised issues relating to railway and also emphasised on the need for an airport at Beed.” Sonawane said during the discussion, there was argument over the “atmosphere of terror prevailing in Beed”. “We were told not to defame Beed. In response, I asked as to who was defaming Beed? We were only pointing out the prevalent situation in Beed. To this, Pawar said those found guilty will be punished,” he said.
