Akela
In an act that demonstrates that the State is only concerned abouts the well beings of its Ministers and not general public or even the bureaucrats, the State Government has suspended Assistant Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Abhimanyu Eknath Kerure. Kerure’s only mistake was that he dared to take action against Sugar Factory owned by State Minister Pankaja Munde.
On 16th August 2018, Shivaji Patankar, the Joint Secretary of Maharashtra Government passed suspension order of Abhimanyu Kerure. Following this, subsequently, on 18th August 2018, FDA’s Commissioner Dr. Pallavi Darade also passed the suspension order of Kerure. Both the order copies are available with ABI (abinet.org)
Abhimanyu Eknath Kerure is attached with FDA’s Beed office. Few months back he had visited and carried out an inspection of M/s Vaidyanath Sugar Cooperative Factory in Pangri, Beed’s Parli town. He found multiple irregularities in the factory, particulary in the Mineral Water’s section. Following this, Kerure suspended the licence of the concerned section. Kerure’s action shook the whole sugar lobby, including the owners, FDA Officials as well as Political lobbies.
Before initiating this action, clearly Kerure forgot two main things. First M/s Vaidyanath Sugar Cooperative Factory is owned by Pankaja Munde, the State Minister of Rural Development, Women and Child Welfare in Maharashtra government. Second the factory has license from Central government not State government. Thus, no state government officer has power to raid or suspend the license of M/s Vaidyanath Sugar Cooperative Factory. Following this rules and regulations Pallavi Darade initiated in inquiry through joint commissioner (vigilance) against Kerure in which he was found guilty. Finally he was suspended under section 4 (I) of Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct and Discipline and Appeal Rules, 1979.
M/s Vaidyanath Sugar Cooperative Factory was set up by late BJP leader Gopinath Munde in 2006, who was the factory’s chairman till his death. His daughter, State Minister of Rural Development, Women and Child Welfare Pankaja Munde is current president of the factory.
Kerure has already been punished for his Stupidity. However, everyone seems to have forgotten about the alleged irregularities in the factory. Who will take action against these irregularities.