Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Questions continue to swirl over a PWD recruitment scam, which may involve a major racket across Marathwada, as police try to trace the mastermind. Suspended clerk Ankush Hiwale is yet to be apprehended, and authorities expect his capture to reveal the full extent of the fraud.
On Saturday, police took into custody Ujjwala Narwade, a female employee of the Establishment Department, in connection with the scam, which involves fake appointment orders, forged signatures of senior engineers, and manipulated seniority lists. Complaints were filed by Executive Engineer Sheshrao Chavan, based on a six-member inquiry report from the Construction Department.
Since 2013, appointments under the compassionate quota ignored proper seniority, with some orders allegedly sold for Rs 15 lakh each. Relatives of certain officials were reportedly given undue advantage, causing losses to deserving candidates. 21 employees have already been dismissed, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the full scope.
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Scope across Marathwada
Questions remain over why senior officials approved proposals submitted by Hiwale without verification. After the fraud was exposed, 21 employees were dismissed. Reports suggest some officials in the Establishment Department deceived their own relatives by taking Rs 6, Rs 10, and Rs 15 lakh each. The scam may extend to every circle in Marathwada. Executive Engineer Sheshrao Chavan confirmed that a complaint has been filed and said all details will come to light after police investigations.