MAPUSA
The Chief Officer of the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has come under a scanner after two separate complaints were recently filed against him in the vigilance department for misusing his office to favour the builders’ lobby.
The complainants also demanded that the Chief Officer Chandrankant Shetkar may be immediately suspended, and investigation should be launched against him for alleged corrupt activities.
The unit holders of the controversial project Prabhu Chambers in Mapusa in their complaint to the Directorate of Vigilance alleged that the chief officer has fraudulently restored part occupancy to the building which was earlier revoked to favour the developer of the building.
They said the chief officer recently issued part occupancy to the building despite the municipal council’s report pointing to the deficiencies in the building.
The complaint also pointed out that Shetkar misinterpreted the High Court order to favour the developer which was ex-facie contemptuous.
The unit holders alleged that the chief officer issued the occupancy at the behest of the developer for personal gratification. “The Chief Officer has violated the law and misused his office. The chronology of the events in issuing the part occupancy clearly establishes that there is a nexus of the Chief Officer with the builder lobby,” said Jitesh Kamat, one of the unit holders and who is also a complainant.
In another complaint, RTI activist Jawahar Shetye said the chief officer misbehaved with him and acted in a manner unbecoming of a public servant and alleged a nexus between the chief officer and a builder against whom he had filed a complaint.
He alleged that during a personal hearing on a complaint against the builder, the chief officer repeatedly raised his voice and abused him.
“The chief officer said that I (Shetye) am in a habit of filing false and frivolous complaints against innocent builders,” Shetye alleged, in his complaint.
He called for an inquiry against Shetkar and pending the inquiry pleaded that the chief officer be suspended.
