The Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai Police arrested Sanjay Pansare, the former director of the APMC Market, on Wednesday evening in connection with the public toilet scandal at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee premises in Vashi. Pansare is accused of approving a proposal that favored a private contractor in obtaining the operation and maintenance rights for a toilet within the market complex.
Pansare was presented before the Belapur court, where he was remanded to police custody for two days.Investigations revealed that directors and former officials of the APMC market assigned toilets for operation and maintenance within the Vashi premises to their preferred contractor, causing a loss of Rs 7,61,49,000 to the market committee. In November 2023, the Economic Offenses Branch of Navi Mumbai Police, along with NCP MLA Shashikant Shinde and eight others, including a former officer of the market committee, filed a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the APMC police station. The case accused them of arbitrarily allocating public toilets in various markets of the APMC to organizations of their choice, disregarding government directives and court instructions.
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Apart from Shinde, the FIR mentioned the name of the then Deputy Secretary of the Market Committee, Ravindra Anandrao Patil, along with G. M. Vakade, Sitaram Kawarkhe, present Deputy Secretary Vijay Padmamaker Shingade, Deputy Engineer Sudarshan Bhojankar, Junior Engineer Rajendra Pandurang Jhunjarrao, and Office Superintendent Vilas Pandurang Pawar.
During the period from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2021, they allegedly violated rules by allotting various toilets in the Bazar Samiti premises to their favored organizations, such as Maru Seva Sangh, Vikas Constructions, Amol Constructions, and Bhumi Constructions, despite the original objectives of these organizations not being related to running toilets.
The investigation report also suggests that rent reductions and illegal allocations were made to individuals like Suresh Maru, with these matters allegedly overlooked by the then Secretary Satish Soni. Violations of orders were highlighted, leading Deputy Secretary to the Government, Ravindra Aute, to inform the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner for an investigation.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Vishal Mehul conducted a re-enquiry and submitted his report to the Home Department on August 9, 2023. The government forwarded this report to the director of marketing, resulting in the registration of a case following the Deputy Chief Minister's instructions.