MCOCA court rejects bail plea of two BMC employees

Mumbai, Mar 14 (UNI) A MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court today rejected the bail applications of two Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officers, arrested in connection with the unauthorised construction of the twin shopping complex--Sara&Sahara-- at Crawford Market in South Mumbai.

MCOCA Judge Ashok Bhangale rejected the bail pleas of suspended officers--Assistant Commissioner Kiran Acharekar and Assistant Engineer Shirish Salvekar-- on the ground that Bombay High Court had earlier rejected their applications on merit and this court can not rely merely on a departmental inquiry report.

A BMC Committee, set to inquire into their involvement in the construction of the shopping complex, had exonerated them and had recommended their reinstatement last month following which they had approached the trial court for bail.

The Court, meanwhile, also adjourned the trial in the Sara&Sahara case, scheduled to begin today, to March 23 as one of the accused--Shirish Salvekar--who is is in the custody of the anti-corruption bureau (ACB), was not produced today.

MCOCA court had framed charges against nine accused, including four BMC employees, on February 22.

Salvekar was arrested by the ACB on March 9 in a disproportionate assets case and is at present in their custody.

The commercial complex, allegedly owned by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was built illegally on a land belong to the CPWD, which was reserved for a municipal school.

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