BJP leader Prakash Makhija steals sewerage project file from Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation

Suraj Mourya

BHARATIYA Janata Party (BJP) state committee member and BJP corporator Jaya Makhija’s husband Prakash Makhija allegedly stole a file from the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) to benefit the infamous company Konark Infrastructure Ltd (KIL).

Ulhasnagar Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Nimbalkar has ordered an inquiry and action in the matter. Speaking to ABI, a top UMC officer confirmed the theft of the file by Prakash Makhija.

The matter came to light when on December 5, 2016, Rajendra Nimbalkar demanded the ‘Amrut Bhuyari Gatar Yojana’ file. The water supply department peon, Sanjay Patil, told him the file could not be traced and it was not available in the department. He said that last year Prakash Makhija had come to the department and taken away the file. As Prakash Makhija’s wife Jaya was the standing committee chairman and he was a very influential person in the city, no one dared to interrupt him.

Makhija did what he had to do in the presence of the then Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) Nitin Kapadnis. Later, on instructions from Kapadnis, Sanjay Patil noted down the incident in the department diary, mentioning Makhija had taken away the file.

The file related to the drainage system called the ‘Amrut Bhuyari Gatar Yojna’. Prakash Makhija said he knew nothing about the file. “I don’t know who has taken the file. I am not concerned even if UMC Commissioner suspects me. I am ready to face all kinds of inquiry,” he said.

UMC spokesperson Yuvraj Bhadane said, “I cannot say anything as I don’t have any information on the issue.”

Prakash Makhija has the reputation of a very powerful ‘Settlement Man’ in the city. Although he is associated with the BJP, he has ‘relations’ within all political parties as well in Mantralaya. “Prakash Makhija itna bada Settling Man hai ki woh koi bhi kaam kahin bhi karwa sakta hai,” said a BJP worker.

Sources said Makhija had stolen the file to benefit Konark Infrastructure Ltd (KIL). KIL is a very infamous company with lots of contracts (tenders) in the city for water supply as well as drainage. The truth will come forward after the arrest of Makhija.