Five Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) officials arrested on Tuesday in connection with an encroachment demolition scam are together even in sickness. A few hours after their arrest, all five simultaneously had chest pains and breathlessness. Instead of being taken into police custody, the officials were admitted to Vashi’s NMMC Hospital.
The CBD-Belapur police arrested deputy commissioner NN Alhat, ex-deputy commissioner Amrish Patnigire, assistant commissioner Divakar Samale, chief accounts and finance officer Jaywant Dalvi and Prakash Kamble, an official in the accounts department, for their alleged involvement in the Rs3.30-crore HB Bhise corruption case.
Earlier the police had arrested eight persons, including the main accused, contractor HB Bhise. Bhise allegedly overcharged the NMMC and manipulated bills sanctioned to his company. Another main accused, Airoli corporator MK Madhvi, is in Belapur police’s custody.
Before presenting the five officials in court, they were taken for a medical check-up to the Vashi NMMC Hospital. But all of them complained that they were feeling uneasy and had chest pains. On checking, the doctors said their ECG reports weren’t normal.
“Once they are discharged, we will produce them before the court and demand police custody. The court has remanded them in magistrate custody till September 11,” said Ramesh Mohite, senior inspector, CBD Belapur police station, said. The police, however, believe NMMC officials are pretending to be ill. “They are creating problems in investigations. It is not possible that all five have the same problems at the same time.
Since the hospital belongs to the NMMC, the accused are taking shelter there,” a police officer said.
