Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
In focus
MNS activists on Wednesday barged into the newly appointed Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram’s office while he was holding a meeting, seeking an enquiry into alleged missing items from the official bungalow of the civic chief. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to file a police complaint against the MNS workers.
Ram is yet to move into the official bungalow of the municipal commissioner in Model Colony after it was vacated by his predecessor Rajendra Bhosale.
Various items including TV sets and ACs have reportedly gone missing from the bungalow. However, civic officials are tight-lipped over the incident.
A senior officer from Pune city police said, “We are in the process of registering an offence under BNS Section 132, which pertains to assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty. The offence is being registered at Shivaji Nagar police station.”
Following the ruckus created by the MNS workers, Ram said, “I was holding a meeting with over 50 officials when the MNS workers barged into the meeting hall. They could have waited outside till the meeting got over. Instead, they misbehaved. It is inappropriate to treat the municipal commissioner this way. The PMC will file a police complaint against the MNS workers,” he said.
The MNS workers led by Kishore Shinde barged into Ram’s office to give a memorandum on the “missing” items. The MNS workers alleged the municipal commissioner called them “goons who were defaming Marathi culture by their behaviour”. “We came to demand an enquiry into the items that reportedly have gone missing from the bungalow. This is in the interest of the Pune civic body and not us but the municipal commissioner was rude to us,” Shinde said.
Earlier, Ram said, “I don’t know what all was in the bungalow. It is wrong to defame the former municipal commissioner for the alleged missing items. I have asked for an enquiry into it. It is the responsibility of the civic department concerned responsible for the maintainance of the bungalow to ensure what is brought inside or taken out of the bungalow.”
The municipal commissioner said he was staying at another government facility till the bungalow was vacated. “I have a lot of my goods and items that have to be shifted to the official bungalow. We just wanted some changes in the kitchen and hall of the bungalow so some renovation work was taken up,” he said.
On the purchase of new items proposed by the civic department for the bungalow, Ram said he was not aware of it and would ask the department concerned.
