Maharashtra governor orders Lokayukta probe against Housing Minister

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already ordered an inquiry against his minister

Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday asked the Lokayukta to probe allegations of impropriety against Housing Minister Prakash Mehta. The anti-corruption watchdog will now probe permissions granted by Maharashtra Housing Minister in a Slum Rehabilitation Authority project in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had already ordered a probe against the minister after the opposition cornered the government in the state assembly. Mehta is accused of unauthorized transfer of extra building rights in the SRA project at MP Mills Compound in south Mumbai. The scheme was aimed at helping slum dwellers but Mehta extended it to those affected by the project.

After the opposition's demand, the Maharashtra Governor asked the Lokayukta in the state to investigate into the permissions granted by the Housing Minister despite the Chief Minister ordering a probe earlier. The probe against the minister was ordered after the Congress accused him of extending the project permissions without the knowledge of the Chief Minister to favour a builder.

Mehta had wrongly mentioned on the file of the project that he had kept the chief minister in the loop about the transfer, which was denied by Fadnavis later.

OneIndia News