Moneylender MLA says I’m clean, facts show the opposite

Congress MLA Dilip Sananda, member of Vidarbha’s most prominent money-lender family and whose reach goes right to the Maharashtra Chief Minister...

Congress MLA Dilip Sananda, member of Vidarbha’s most prominent money-lender family and whose reach goes right to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, claims he is clean—”there are no cases against me,” he told The Indian Express last week.

But an investigation of police records in Khamgaon in Buldhana district reveals a substantial history sheet with at least 13 criminal cases against him. This even prompted police inspector D M Bondre to recommended that Sananda be arrested under the National Security Act (NSA).

In his noting in Sananda’s file, made during the end of 1989, Bondre says: “He (Sananda) is involved in many illegal activities. With the help of criminals, he is running illegal businesses of gambling, matka and video parlours. He has has also started a youth club called, Chandan Shesh Yuvak Mandal, in Khamgaon city, which has links with the Rana Dal Aakhada. Through these organisations, he is disturbing social peace. And it is to protect society at large that we want to take action against him under NSA.”

The FIRs against Sananda tell the MLA’s story:

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• October 15, 1988: PWD Engineer M Dakare Sananda registered a complaint against Sananda for encroachment of government land.

• February 2, 1989: Dilip Sananda was booked for attacking Mohan Sonavane on 23 January and an FIR was filed against him under Section 341, 342, 326 and 34. But he managed to settle the matter out of court.

• November 30, 1989: Sananda was booked for the alleged murder of Kisan Daulat Thombare. He was arrested under Section 307, 302. But he was released as not a single eyewitness agreed to testify against him.

• August 5, 2005: After becoming MLA, Sananda was booked for unlawful activity after 20 of his supporters thronged the police station to demand the release of one of Sananda’s associates held after a drive against illegal transport businesses. The drive was initiated by SP Krishna Prakash. Though the crime was registered on the same day, he was arrested and released on April 29, 2006.CM under Oppn fire for shielding Sananda

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• Maharashtra Oppn slams CM Deshmukh for asking officials to go easy against moneylender-MLA Dilip Sananda

• “Dy CM R R Patil has been saying he will whip moneylenders. Is Patil going to whip this moneylender?”: Oppn leader Ramdas Kadam

• Meanwhile, a farmer’s daughter committed suicide after her debt-ridden father stopped her brother’s education to save money for her marriage in Buldhana district of Vidarbha

• Two farmers hit by crop failure and debts committed suicide in Akola and Amravati districts