Maharashtra BJP MLA among 16 booked over transfer of farmers' money

AURANGABAD: A case has been registered against Maharashtra BJP MLA Prashant Bamb and 15 others for allegedly transferring over Rs 9 crore, deposited by farmers in a sugar factory-related case, into the bank accounts of people not linked to the matter, police said.

Bamb, who represents Gangapur constituency in Aurangabad district, is also the chairman of Gangapur co- operative Sugar factory.

He has denied the allegations levelled against him.

"The offence against the legislator was registered after a complaint in this connection was lodged by Krishna Patil Dongaonkar at Gangapur police station on Wednesday night," an official said.

Bamb and 15 others were booked under various IPC sections, including 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and others, the official added.

When contacted, complainant Dongaonkar alleged that Bamb and 15 others transferred the money collected from farmers into the bank accounts of those not linked to the matter.

"That amount is more than Rs nine crore," he said.

However, Bamb said that there was a political motive behind the allegations levelled against him.

"The transfer of funds was done as the farmers, who had deposited the money with the sugar factory, gave their consent through the power of attorney to transfer the money into those bank accounts," he said.

The MLA said that the complaint has been registered "under pressure".

"We are trying to make the factory operational, but hurdles are being created in it," he said.

(THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS)

1247 Days ago