Govt shows Mendonca the door

This decision, however, comes after much feet-dragging. On August 20, 1994, the then Administrative Officer of MBMC, Ajit Patil, was nabbed red-handed by AntiCorruption Bureau (ACB) officers accepting Rs 35,000 from a citizen. In his statement to the police, Patil said he had accepted the money on behalf of the then MBMC Chief Executive Officer, L A Latke, and the then accountant Shrikant More. The ACB sought permission from the state government to prosecute the three officials, and the government gave the go-ahead to prosecute Patil and More on April 19, 1997.

However, in the MBMC general body meeting held under Mendonca’s chair, it was decided that Patil and More would face a departmental enquiry instead of prosecution. The state government issued Mendonca a show cause notice on December 29 last year asking why he should not be removed from his post. In the notice, Mendonca was charged with dereliction of duty, misconduct and corrupt practices and was asked to explain his stand.

Sitting Janata Dal corporator Milan Mhatre had even moved the Bombay High Court seeking the immediate dismissal of Mendonca. Following this, Mhatre was attacked by unidentified menlast week. Mendonca is one of the prime accused in the case.

In a hearing before Mane on January 21, Mendonca’s lawyer refuted the slew of charges against his client. The High Court had also directed MBMC officials to postpone elections to the president’s post and directed the state government to immediately take a decision on the show cause notice issued to Mendonca.