EOW summons Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Waikar in 5-star hotel construction violation case

Waikar has been summoned for questioning on Monday, confirmed a senior EOW officer.

Last month Waikar and the other accused were booked for criminal breach of trust, cheating, dishonestly inducing delivery of property and criminal conspiracy.

The FIR was registered after a BMC sub-engineer filed a complaint at the Azad Maidan police station. Apart from Waikar, the others booked in the case were his wife Manisha Waikar, business partners Aasoo Nehlanai, Raj Lalchandani and Prithpal Bindra, and architect Arun Dubey.

As per the complaint, Waikar had entered into a contract with the BMC after getting permission to run a sports facility at the plot based in Jogeshwari. The said permission was granted when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was in power in the state.

However, earlier this year, a notice was issued to him for using the plot of land which was reserved for a public garden, to construct a hotel.

Read Death By Breath Series – Mumbai holds its breath | Why construction dust is lethal | BMC’s rulebook gets a burial

A police officer said that so far, no arrests have been made in the case. Waikar was already questioned by EOW in August.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had alleged that Waikar was involved in a Rs 500 crore scam.

Waikar had earlier said that he submitted all the evidence with the EOW which will prove BJP Leader Kirit Somaiya’s allegations against him are all false.

“My statement has been recorded and I have submitted details that will prove that I have followed all rules and laws in the said project,” Waikar said in August.