New Delhi: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday maintained that there is no “prima facie evidence” of any wrongdoing in the purchases of worth Rs 206 crore by state minister Pankaja Munde, who is facing opposition’s heat for not inviting tenders for the purchases.
Mr Fadnavis, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, did not rule out ordering a probe but said it will be only after analysing the “minute details”. “Panjaka Munde had called me up to say that in this regard if I feel the need for any inquiry to be ordered, I should do it. I am personally monitoring this case. What can be seen prima facie is that there are no discrepancies,” he said after meeting the PM.
The CM said the Minister for Women and Child Development, Ms Munde, had sanctioned purchases in February this year as funds provided by the Centre under the Integrated Child Development Services would have expired on March 31.
He also said the norm of inviting e-tenders for purchases worth Rs 3 lakh and more was introduced by his government in April. Congress has accused Ms Munde of flouting this norm by clearing purchases through Government Resolutions.
Mr Fadnavis said, “We will still go into the minute details and, if any discrepancy is found then, an Inquiry will be ordered.” The Fadnavis government was hit by first major allegation of a ‘scam’ after Congress accused Ms Munde, daughter of BJP stalwart late Gopinath Munde, of clearing purchases worth '206 crore on February 13 through 24 Government Resolutions.
A host of items including snacks, mats, dishes, water filters, medicines and books for children were purchased under the Integrated Child Development Services by her ministry.
