Mumbai beat — Probe into BMC graft

Municipal Commissioner Girish Gokhale has ordered a high-level inquiry into the alleged corruption by top-officials of the education department, which resulted in a loss of over Rs one crore for the civic body.According to sources in the BMC, the decision will look into the role of some high officials in defrauding the corporation of Rs 1.33 crore by surrendering municipal schools situated on private properties to the landlords for a meagre compensation.

The corruption was exposed by municipal chief auditor P C Pisolkar who had detected the loss for the BMC on account of the fraudulent deals.Acting swiftly, Gokhale ordered the suspension of education officer D U Dandwate, former administrative officer and the present personal secretary to Municipal Commissioner, Bhausaheb Bansode, administrative officers V S Pednekar and Lata Sonawane and clerk M P Chowdhary. A senior clerk, V S Pawar, was suspended earlier in this connection, sources said.

Two youths drown n TWO teenagers from from Mumbai aged 20 and 22 respectively drowned in Pauna Dam, near Lonavala yesterday. An official release said here today the two youngsters were sons of police inspectors Bhimrao Patil and Ganapat Mali.

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The Western naval command headquarters here received a call and a team of three naval divers were sent to the spot. The bodies of two youths were recovered and handed over to their relatives.

Bandal remanded to police custody

Director of Dadar Janata Sahakari Bank and Congress leader Eknath alias Bhai Bandal, who was allegedly involved in the Rs 12.25 crore scam, was on Wednesday remanded to police custody up to June 18. He was remanded by chief metropolitan magistrate Sharad Chimade. Bandal surrendered on Tuesday after his anticipatory bail was rejected by the sessions court.