Nagpur Cong ex-chief faces graft charges

NAGPUR, July 22: Former city Congress president Gev Awari, was under attack for what is being described by his party colleagues as misappro...

NAGPUR, July 22: Former city Congress president Gev Awari, was under attack for what is being described by his party colleagues as misappropriation of party funds.

According to information, Awari, who stepped down from the party’s city unit presidentship a few months back, allegedly withdrew Rs 70,000 from the party’s account even after the new body took charge.Besides, the account in the Mahal branch of the Bank of Maharashtra, did not show the amount of active membership fees and money collected from aspirants of party tickets for corporation elections, held in March last.

Talking to The Indian Express, Kishore Kashikar, city Congress committee president said, the local unit had collected over Rs three lakh from party activists by selling forms for aspirants of tickets during the corporation elections. As the party freezed its symbol during civic elections, the money should be returned to those party activists who deposited the amount to the party office for tickets. The party charged Rs 500 each for the forms.

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When the new office-bearers took over in June last, they found that not a single penny from collected amount was deposited in the party account so far. The party collected around Rs 80,000 for the fees of active members which was also not deposited in the bank.

Kashikar also alleged that there were financial irregularities during the regime of Awari. “I am still unaware about the amount the party receives from different shops in Devadia Congress Bhavan, given on rental basis from the period of Bholasinh Nayak”, he further alleged.

Krishnarao Hingankar, working president of the city Congress, informed that the party sought a written statement from the bank so that they can assess the entire financial position of the party.

“The prima facie findings have established that there were gross financial irregularities during the regime of Awari and we may file a criminal case against him soon”, he said.

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However, Awari dismissed all the allegations and described the charges as politically motivated and just to defame him.

Meanwhile, Marotrao Kumbhalkar, a close confidante of Awari and former treasurer of the city Congress Committee, dismissed the allegations about the financial irregularities and claimed that all transactions were made during his regime by cheques only and he was ready to face any enquiry on the matter.