The MD of the Annabhau Development Corporation got caught when he called to wish his new son-in-law; cops now hope to nail NCP MLA Ramesh Kadam
He allegedly embezzled over Rs 300 crore from the state-run Lokshahir Annabhau Development Corporation (LADC) and managed to evade the cops for two years, going incognito in a village in Rajkot and working as a mechanic in a garage there. One would expect his undoing to be just as grand or dramatic; instead it was because of phone calls he made to his new son-in-law. The state CID on Tuesday afternoon arrested Nagpur native Shravan Kishor Baabane, 61, from Gujarat for his alleged involvement in the scam. He is being taken to the CID office in Pune for questioning.
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Shravan Kishor Baabane
In 2015, the CID had charge-sheeted then NCP MLA Ramesh Kadam, who was chairperson of the LADC, which provides financial help to OBC members, from August 2012 to December 2014. He had made Baabane, a clerk, the managing director during his tenure. Kadam had allegedly misappropriated the company's funds, giving them to his relatives and friends, to the tune of R312 crore.
Eleven cases in this regard had been registered against him in Dahisar, Borivli, Jalna, Bandhara, Buldhana, Hingoli, Parbhani, Beed and other places. His 54 properties were attached, as well as over 20 bank accounts in Aurangabad, Solapur and Mumbai, and land owned by him. Kadam was booked for criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating under the Indian Penal Code as well as charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The former MLA from Mohol, Solapur, is currently in Arthur Road Jail.
On the trail
Additional Director General of Police (CID) Sanjay Kumar said, "Baabane's arrest is important in this case; after Kadam, he's the only one who knows how and where the funds were misappropriated. A lot will be clear once we interrogate him."
"Baabane has only studied till primary and was working as a clerk in the corporation. Yet, Kadam made him the MD. We were shocked to find out that Kadam played a pivotal role in keeping Baabane out of our reach, keeping track of his movements and where he was hiding. He is the one who has all the details of the scam," said another officer.
"We had been trying to trace him for the last two years… we came to know about his mingling with bar dancers, but none of them knew where he was. Then, on November 11, his daughter was getting married in Nagpur and we were sure he would attend the wedding, but he didn't show. Finally, a month later, we came to know that he had been in touch with his son-in-law through phone calls, and we managed to get his location.
"He was staying in a village in Rajkot and working as a mechanic in a garage there. For a week, our team was there, keeping a close eye on his movements. On Tuesday afternoon, we swooped down on him."
Rs 312 cr
Total amount embezzled from the corporation
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