Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant on Tuesday announced a high-level enquiry in the money spent by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over the years on the desilting of Mithi river that flows through the city. Samant made the statement in Vidhan Parishad after the issue was raised by BJP leader Prasad Lad. Responding to Samant's statement, Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab said the government must definitely go ahead with the probe on the spending over the past few years. He said it would throw a light on all 'beneficiaries' if the money had been misused. Parab said that the names of some important people may come to light, following which he suspected the inquiry may even be disbanded. BMC was controlled by the undivided Sena headed by the Thackeray family from 1997 to 2022, following which no elections have been held so far. BJP's Prasad Lad raised the issue in the Council, claiming that more than Rs 1,300 crore were spent on desilting Mithi between 2005 and 2022, and a probe must be conducted into the work done. Responding to him, Samant said, "Who was the contractor, how much silt was removed, how much widening was done, what happened to Rs 1,160 crore, who were the officers at that time – a high-level inquiry will be conducted into all this." Parab said the probe should also cover the financial year 2022-23 when BMC was under an administrator's control as civic elections have not been held for over a year. Later speaking with the press outside the Legislature, Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said a probe should also be conducted into the ongoing violence in Manipur. Thackeray further alleged that several probes had been ordered in the past as well to defame Mumbai and Maharashtra.
