Mhada ministers to face probe after flat scam expose

Mumbai: The Maharashtra housing and area development authority (Mhada) is going to conduct an inquiry against Mhada officials who were named in a video that has been doing rounds on social media. The video allegedly shows mill workers who were given homes under the lottery system by the state government being offered money to sell their homes by agents, who claimed to be having contacts with Mhada officers.

A section of the mill workers approached confronted Mhada officials with the video and have registered complaint. The mill workers said that Subhash Lakhe, chief executive officer of Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board has given them an assurance to look into the matter. However, several attempts made to contact Mr Lakhhe did not yield any reply. A senior Mhada official on condition of anonymity said, “We have already initiated an inquiry in the matter and the officials whose names were taken were also given a chance to represent their selves.”

When contacted, Tushar Rathod, Mhada officer whose name is mentioned in the video said the allegations are baseless. “I do not understand that after allotting homes to mill workers what role Mhada has to play. In fact, I have filed a complaint with Kherwadi police station in the matter with the CD of the video.”

The video doing rounds on social media has agents contacting mill workers and giving them offers to sell their flats claiming that they have contacts with Mhada officers. However, according to norms, mill workers cannot sell their homes till 10 years after the allotment.  When contacted, Rajendra Patil, senior police inspector, Kherwadi police station, he denied having receiving any such complaints related to selling flats of mill workers.

The Mhada had conducted a lottery for mill workers in 2012 followed by two lotteries this year in May and one earlier this month where the state government via its aim to provide affordable homes to 2.5 lakh textile mill workers.