Maharashtra: BJP MLA Seeks Probe into Alleged BMC Transfer Racket
The BJP legislator questioned whether Dhakne's alleged reluctance to provide the information indicated his possible involvement in the alleged racket
Mumbai: Alleging financial transactions in the transfers of engineers within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha has demanded a thorough probe by State Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal. He also accused BMC Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Avinash Dhakne of evading responses to official queries. Kotecha claimed to possess a "rate card" for transfers.
Mr Kotecha on Tuesday wrote a letter to Mr Agarwal, alleging that officials were deliberately delaying information he had sought regarding alleged irregularities in recent transfers.
In his letter to the Chief Secretary, the BJP MLA referred to the controversy surrounding the transfer of 165 BMC officials in 2025. He said his colleague and fellow BJP MLA Amit Satam had then alleged a "cash-for-transfer" racket, following which Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered the cancellation of the transfers.
According to Mr Kotecha, he wrote to BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide on May 15, 2026, pointing out that a new transfer proposal had been prepared that included around 50 per cent of the engineers from the earlier proposal involving 165 transfers.
"All this was being carried out under the guidance of the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs)," he claimed. Following his letter, Ms Bhide took appropriate action and cancelled the proposed transfer list, he alleged.
Mr Kotecha, who is also the treasurer of the Maharashtra BJP, further alleged that irregularities had occurred in transfers effected two to three months ago and claimed to possess information in the form of a "rate card".
He said he had sought answers to key questions from Mr Dhakne on August 5, 2026, but had received no response even after 26 days.
The BJP legislator questioned whether Dhakne's alleged reluctance to provide the information indicated his possible involvement in the alleged racket.
Terming the delay in providing information sought by an MLA as a serious matter, Mr Kotecha urged the Chief Secretary to order a detailed inquiry and take appropriate action against officials, including Mr Dhakne, responsible for the delay.
When contacted by this newspaper about the delay in providing information to the BJP MLA, Mr Dhakne said that the information available with the department had already been provided to Mr Kotecha by City Engineer Ramchandra Kadam on August 18.
"The transfers have been carried out in a fair and transparent manner. We are also shifting to an online transfer model," the Additional Municipal Commissioner of the BMC told this newspaper.
