Maharashtra Minister Denies Link After Staff Caught Taking Bribe
Mr. Zirwal said he was prepared to take full responsibility if any personal link to corruption is established
Mumbai: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Minister and senior NCP leader Narhari Zirwal on Friday denied any involvement in a bribery case involving staff from his department, a day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested an FDA clerk red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe. Mr. Zirwal said he would resign from his post if any evidence emerged linking him to the case.
In a significant anti-corruption operation, the ACB on Thursday conducted a raid at the FDA office located in the Mantralaya, leading to the arrest of a clerk accused of demanding illegal gratification. The accused, identified as Rajendra Dherang, was apprehended on the third floor of the Mantralaya building.
According to ACB officials, Dherang allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 to facilitate the renewal of a cancelled licence and was caught while accepting an initial instalment of Rs 35,000.
Distancing himself from the incident, Mr. Zirwal — an MLA from Dindori assembly constituency in Nashik and a leader of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) — condemned the act, calling it “grave and unacceptable”. “The clerk was responsible for preparing hearing-related documents. Regardless of the amount involved, bribery is a crime. I had never received any complaints against him earlier, but he must now face legal consequences. I will not shield anyone involved in such activities,” the minister said.
The incident triggered sharp reactions from the opposition. Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal demanded Mr. Zirwal’s immediate removal from the cabinet, launching a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
“This raid confirms that under this ‘Mahabhrashta’ government, Mantralaya has become a hub of open bribery and commissions. It is alarming that citizens’ work is not progressing without greasing palms. The Chief Minister must take cognisance of the matter and remove the concerned minister,” Sapkal said.
Reiterating his stand, Mr. Zirwal said he was prepared to take full responsibility if any personal link to corruption is established. “If any evidence surfaces connecting me to this matter, I am ready to resign immediately,” he said.
However, the Congress leader insisted that Mr. Zirwal must resign to facilitate impartial investigation. He also demanded that the investigation should be held against Mr. Zirwal and senior FDA officers to find out if Dherang was acting as per their instructions
