Uddhav faction corporator booked for keeping dustbins meant for distribution, claims political vendetta

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The Kasturba Marg Police booked Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray-led camp) corporator Geeta Singhan of ward number 12 in Borivli East in Mumbai for allegedly hiding 3921 dustbins bought for the public by spending Rs 7 lakh from corporator fund.

According to police sources, on the complaint of an Assistant Engineer (AE) from R/South municipal corporation, the Kasturba Marg Police booked Singhan under sections 403, 406, 420, and 34 of IPC on Wednesday evening.

It said in the complaint that during the year 2017-2018, around 3992 dustbins, including small and big, were allotted to be distributed to the public in the year 2019. But instead of distributing them to the public, the corporator had kept them hidden in a warehouse in her area, police sources said.

On receiving the complaint, a raid was conducted and the dustbins were seized, the police said.

"On the complaint of the AE from R-south municipal ward, we registered the case and booked the corporator Geeta Singhan. Further investigations are underway," said senior inspector Anil Avhad from Kasturba Marg police station.

Speaking to mid-day, Geeta Singhan said, "The allegations against me are false and baseless, It is true that I kept these dustbins and distributed many in the slum areas. I was preparing to distribute more in the buildings and societies in the locality, but due to the Covid-19 lockdown it was postponed. After the Covid-19 restrictions were eased, I tried to distribute them but many society members refused them due to the barcode stickers. I had also demanded in writing to the BMC many times to put a barcode on these dustbins but they did not pay attention."

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The dustbins had stickers and pictures of the local MLA who was in Shiv Sena at that time along with me, she claimed.

She alleged, "the MLA has left Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena and joined the Shinde-led faction. I am still on the Uddhav saheb's side, but I am being pressured to join the Shinde faction by him and when I refused, they falsely booked me."

She further alleged that around two days ago, BMC officials had come and agreed to take the dustbin to the R-south office, then what was the reason for registering the FIR? when I asked officials from BMC they told me they had pressure from their higher officials and politicians. It is clearly visible from this that the government is creating a dirty conspiracy to put pressure on the Shiv Sainiks to join them with the Shinde faction. But we are not going to come under any pressure, we and other Shivsainiks will remain with Uddhav Thackeray's Shivsena.

The Local Shinde fraction MLA is playing dirty politics, they are pressurising Thackeray faction corporators to join them but we are not afraid, alleged former corporator Bhaskar Khursange from Borivli East.