Pankaja Munde row: CM meets PM, says no irregularities “prima facie”

New Delhi/Mumbai

A day after Maharashtra’s Minister Pankaja Munde came under a cloud over clearing purchases worth Rs 206 crore without inviting tenders, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi after which he said there was “no prima facie evidence” of any wrongdoing.

Fadnavis, however, did not rule out ordering a probe but said it will be only after analysing the “minute details”.

“Panjaka Munde had called me up to say that in this regard if I feel the need for any inquiry to be ordered, I should do it. I am personally monitoring this case. What can be seen prima facie is that there are no discrepancies,” Fadnavis told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Chief Minister said Munde, Minister for Women and Child Development, had sanctioned purchases in February this year as funds provided by the Centre under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) would have expired on March 31.

He also said the norm of inviting e-tenders for purchases worth Rs three lakh and more was introduced by his government in April.

Congress has accused Pankaja of flouting this norm by clearing purchases through Government Resolutions.

Fadnavis said, “We will still go into the minute details and, if any discrepancy is found then, an Inquiry will be ordered.”

The Fadnavis government was yesterday hit by first major allegation of a ‘scam’ after Congress accused Pankaja, daughter of BJP stalwart late Gopinath Munde, of clearing purchases worth Rs 206 crore on February 13 through 24 Government Resolutions.

A host of items including snacks, mats, dishes, water filters, medicines and books for children were purchased under the Integrated Child Development Services by the Women and Child velopment Ministry.

Congress leader Sachin Sawant had filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on the issue and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had even sought a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the complaint, the ACB has sought a response from Women and Child Development (WCD) Department to the accusations levelled by Sawant.

“We have received a letter from the ACB last evening where they have asked for information on the purchases done by the department. We are in the process of making a report which we will submit to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary,” Sanjay Kumar, WCD Principal Secretary, told PTI.

The report will be submitted to Fadnavis by tomorrow, he said, adding it will then be forwarded it to the ACB.

ACB seeks explanation from Munde’s ministry

Mumbai

The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today sought an explanation from the Women and Child Development department about the alleged awarding of contracts without inviting tenders, a day after claims in this regard emerged against its minister Pankaja Munde.

ACB sent a letter to the department after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by Congress, which has accused Munde of corruption while awarding contracts for supply of a host of items, including books and snacks for anganwadis and other institutions.

“We have received a letter from ACB last evening where they have asked for information on the purchases done by the department. We are in the process of making a report based on the letter, which we will submit to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary,” Sanjay Kumar, Principal Secretary of the WCD department, told PTI.

The report will be submitted to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by tomorrow and the government will then forward it to ACB, added Kumar.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant had yesterday registered a complaint with the ACB alleging that the WCD department had awarded contracts worth Rs 206 crore for procuring chikkis (a popular snack), medicines, growth monitoring machines, water filters, carpets and educational material for anganwadis on a single day without inviting tenders for the same.

As per state government norms, all contracts of over Rs 3 lakh have to be electronically tendered.

Munde, daughter of BJP veteran, the late Gopinath Munde, has rejected the allegations and said she is not afraid of any probe.

Currently on a visit abroad, she said in a statement yesterday that she would reply to the charges upon getting back.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister has come out in strong defence of his Cabinet colleague, saying there seems to be no wrongdoing on her part.

New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) No discrepancies have been found “prima facie” in Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde clearing purchases worth Rs 206 crore under the ICDS scheme without inviting tenders, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here today, but did not rule out ordering a probe.

Fadnavis said the “minute details” will be gone into before an inquiry is ordered.

“Panjaka Munde had called me up to say that in this regard if I feel the need for any inquiry to be ordered, I should do it. I am personally monitoring this case. What can be seen prima facie is that there are no discrepancies,” he told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Chief Minister said Munde had sanctioned purchases in February this year as funds provided by the Centre under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) would have expired on March 31.

He also said the norm of inviting e-tenders for purchases worth Rs three lakh and more was introduced by his government in April.

Congress has accused Pankaja of flouting this norm by clearing purchases through Government Resolutions.

The Fadnavis government was yesterday hit by first major charge of corruption after Congress accused Pankaja, daughter of BJP stalwart late Gopinath Munde, of clearing purchases worth Rs 206 crore on February 13 through 24 Government Resolutions.

A host of items including snacks, mats, dishes and books for children were purchased under the Integrated Child Development Services by the Women and Child Development Ministry.

Fadnavis, however, made it clear that a probe will be ordered only if irregularities were found to have been committed after a thorough examination.

“We will still go into the minute details and, if any discrepancy is found then, an Inquiry will be ordered,” he said.

Congress leader Sachin Sawant had filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau on the issue and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had even sought a CBI probe.

It was not immediately known if the matter came up for discussion at Fadnavis’ meeting with Modi. The Chief Minister was believed to have invited the Prime Minister for the Kumbh Mela at Nashik beginning next month.

Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken demanded that Munde should put in her papers.

Holding it unfortunate that orders worth Rs 206 crore were given just through Government resolution, by-passing the e-tendering route, Maken said, “it is not a small issue. After all, it relates to the matter of public health of school going children.

“How can the CM say that it is a small issue and the clarification has been given and I am satisfied? If the CM says so, he is fully responsible. Munde should resign.”

Congress had yesterday demanded that an enquiry by a sitting High Court Judge should be conducted.

PTI