‘Will move HC if govt does not act on PAC findings’

The CAG had given a report against the CYG organising committee pointing out irregularities. I have not initiated the matter on my own. We have done our investigation based on the CAG report. Around Rs 100-200 crore was given to the CYG team by the state government,besides funds from the Centre. At the end of the CYG,the organising committee asked the government for Rs 50 crore. Late Vilasrao Deshmukh was chief minister then. Vasant Purake held charge of the department concerned at the time. His note on the matter was very crucial. Purake said he was helpless and had no other option than sanction the money. The government gave them the required money in installments of Rs 25 crore. The money was released as contingency fund. The money under this head has to be released for emergency situations. But the then chief minister gave away the money for the games. Around Rs 45 crore was given from the contingency fund and not from the annual budget. There was a joint committee of divisional commissioner,PWD executive engineer and state secretary among others,looking after the affairs. The committee reported to the chief secretary of Maharashtra. There was another three-member panel at the central level,including Kalmadi,supervising this committee. The laid down procedure of giving work orders was blatantly violated by this panel,and Kalmadi was solely responsible. The payment was done by cheque.

Manoj More: Why are you targeting only a particular individual? Your report is being described as politically motivated…

Being chairman of the organising committee,Kalmadi sought funds from the state government ostensibly for infrastructure. He argued that some items had to be purchased exclusively from abroad or Delhi. The statement of Rs 32 crore he has shown is actually not a valid statement. It was a mere letter from the charted accountant,detailing the expenditure. This is not the procedure at all. The procedure he followed could have even been objected to by the Centre. If Kalmadi would not have indulged in any wrongdoing,he should have furnished the expenditure in accordance with laid down procedure. He should have at least produced bills,or cited details like tendering process followed. Nothing was done. I have nothing personal against him.

Ajay Khape: The CAG report is submitted every year. Does the PAC investigate into every issue that comes out in the report or was CYG a specific issue that was taken up?

The CAG never does 100 per cent audit. It goes by samples considering the staff it has and the huge quantum of work it is loaded with. The CAG submits its report to the government and it goes to the department concerned which comes up with explanations about whatever objections are raised. Then at PAC,we summon secretaries of the department concerned and ministers,if need be,to discuss the matter. The CAG authorities,if not satisfied with the explanations,put the matter before their apex authorities. Kalmadi was also summoned,but he did not depose before the PAC. In the CYG case,there were glaring irregularities. Not a single paper was produced as record. CYG organising committee repeatedly said files and records were taken away by the CBI for investigation. There are numerous glaring examples of corruption like a parking lot being developed only on paper or costs of small set-ups inflated to monstrous amounts.

Prasad Joshi: Did the Pune Municipal Corporation play any role in these irregularities considering the fact that the civic body was run under the ‘Pune pattern’ in 2008?

The civic bodies of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were shouldered with very little responsibility in holding the CYG. The PAC verified their work also. We did not spare them. We stumbled upon a couple of irregularities. The Delhi authorities asked the civic body to do the needful on a priority basis. The contractor was slapped with a fine of Rs 37 lakh for the lapse. The works undertaken in Pune was minor in nature.

Partha Sarathi Biswas: The CAG report has a mention of a hotel in Pune which came up during CYG,violating rules. Please elaborate.

There was a proposal from the government that a hostel-cum-hotel be set up. Several wrongdoing had taken place regarding the land,and some alert citizens even approached court. Vilasrao Deshmukh was forced to make some amendments to the law to ensure the hotel came up. Around 400 rooms were proposed. Today only 200 rooms are there. This particular set up was not charged water bill worth Rs 3 crore among other civic taxes. We prevailed to ensure these taxes get paid. When the matter reached court,the parties concerned were asked to pay the dues in installments. Around 6.1 acre land was given for the hostel-cum-hotel,but they have occupied a 9.5 acre. Whatever land they have acquired for parking,they raised a convention centre without permission of the civic body. As per the masterplan,the convention centre was supposed to come up above the ground-level parking. They did not build the parking,but raised a construction of 54,000 square feet. It was finally demolished before the PAC report was made public.

Ajay Khape: What is the guarantee that the state government will go by the PAC recommendations in the CYG matter?

The government has to act on our recommendations. It has to submit the action taken report.

Manoj More: What if the government does not act?

I will go to High Court. I have that option open. All documents are with me. Not only me,anybody can move court. I hope somebody will go to the court.

Ajay Khape: Do you expect the government to lodge an FIR in the matter?

Home Minister RR Patil,during a personal conversation,told me he was planning to do so.

Partha Sarathi Biswas: What is the percentage of PAC reports where government has taken action?

It is very unfortunate,and I have always raised the issue in the legislature that the government never submits action taken reports on PAC findings. It keeps mum on all matters.

Prasad Joshi: Suresh Kalamdi is saying you have raised corruption charges against him since you are keen on fighting the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. How do you react to this?

I have been interested in contesting Lok Sabha seat since 1996,and since then I am an aspirant. So it is wrong to say that I have taken up the issue of CYG corruption only to gain political mileage now. I had no role to play in drafting the CAG report,which had indicted Kalmadi. At PAC,we investigated the matter in detail only in the public interest. If he is angry with me over this,he has every right to be so.

Manoj More: Your take on the recent controversial public comment by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on water levels in dams and loadshedding?

Ajit Pawar should resign. Seeking a public apology will not do. Being deputy chief minister,it does not suit him to make such below-the-belt comment in public. He was not talking among his friends. It was a public platform.

Manoj More: Will this cost the NCP dearly in the coming Assembly elections?

Indeed. We will ensure that it happens…

Pranav Kulkarni: As a BJP leader,what is your take on Narendra Modi as a prime ministerial candidate?

I would not comment on this. I am a small party worker,while Modi is a national leader.

Chandan Haygunde: BJP in Pune has been plagued by factionalism for many years and you are said to be associated with the Nitin Gadkari group. Now Devendra Fadanvis is at centerstage in Maharashtra,and Gadkari is facing corruption charges. How do you expect things to go from here?

I do not belong to any faction. For that matter,every party has factionalism. The media is to be blamed for blowing out of proportion minor differences among party workers. If a house can have differences among members,a political party with a democratic structure is bound to have difference of opinion among members. Regarding allegations against Gadkari,one should come up with substantial proof. Baseless allegations have no substance.

Manoj More: How do you react to the recent confrontation between an assistant police inspector and some MLAs on the premises of the state legislature?

The legislature as a whole has never defended these MLAs. But the incident does not imply all MLAs in Maharashtra are goons. I was one of the members of the panel that probed the incident and we even suspended the guilty MLAs besides starting criminal proceedings. Suspension is a severe and humiliating punishment,I believe. Nevertheless,as an outcome of the incident,we have recommended that a model code of conduct be framed for MLAs.

Manoj More: Tell us about your political plans. Are you indeed interested in contesting Lok Sabha polls?

I am. I will not fight assembly election in future. I am satisfied with the four terms so far. If the party does not give me a Lok Sabha ticket,I would prefer to be a BJP ‘full-timer’,our party term for individuals dedicated to growth of the party.

Transcribed by Prasad Joshi