Case against 25 persons for losses of Rs 62 crore to APMC in Navi Mumbai

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Police have registered a case against 25 office-bearers of the Mumbai Agriculture Produce Market Committee at Vashi in Navi Mumbai for allegedly indulging in irregularities leading to losses of more than Rs 62 crore to the APMC, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

From 2008 to 2013, the accused had taken certain decisions which allegedly resulted in these losses, he said.

During a development phase of the APMC in Navi Mumbai, the accused had distributed galas (shops) admeasuring 4,43,391.66 square feet of area to 466 persons and charged them a reduced rate Rs 600 per sqft instead of (the applicable rate) of Rs 2,000 per sqft, the official from APMC police station said, reported PTI.

Hence, they allegedly caused a revenue loss of Rs 62,07,48,324 to the APMC in Navi Mumbai, he said.

The accused distributed the FSI at a reduced rate than the one of ready reckoner, and gave the gala owners letters of allotment of the FSI at an increased rate, the official said, reported PTI.

Based on a complaint by an auditor, a case was registered on Saturday against 25 persons under Indian Penal Code sections 406, 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), the police said, reported PTI.

Those named in the FIR include Shashikant Shinde, the NCP (SP) candidate from Satara Lok Sabha seat, and former APMC director Sanjay Pansare, who was arrested by the Navi Mumbai police last week in an alleged corruption case.

Earlier last month, two members of an interstate gang which targeted merchants of the Vashi APMC in Navi Mumbai of Maharashtra have been arrested, a Crime Branch official said, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, they used to follow cars of merchants and then steal cash and valuables at an opportune time, Crime Unit II senior inspector Umesh Gawli said.

"They were held on March 19 while moving on a scooter without a number plate. Three of their associates hail from Rajasthan. Items valued at Rs 13.64 lakh were recovered from arrested accused Ajay Chouhan and Rohan Kanjar," he said, as per the PTI.

"They have cases against their names in Nhava Sheva, APMC, Sanpada, Panvel, Nerul, Kharghar, Vashi, Dindoshi and Shil-Daighar police stations," he added, the news agency reported.

Meanwhile, a couple and their two daughters were booked for allegedly cheating a traffic policeman of Rs 1.17 crore, a Navi Mumbai police official said on Saturday, reported PTI.

Ramakant Parida, his wife Rajnilaxmi and two daughters are accused of taking cash and jewellery cumulatively valued at Rs 1.17 crore on various pretexts and on the basis of forged documents from the complainant, the Nerul police station official said, reported PTI.

"The accused work in a bank. A case of cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust and other offences was registered on Thursday and probe is underway. No one has been arrested in the case," he said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)