In a significant administrative move, the Maharashtra state government on Thursday transferred Additional Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Amit Saini, following serious allegations of a cash-for-transfer scam involving engineers. This action comes after the municipal commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, had earlier stayed the transfers of over 160 engineers within the civic body.
Allegations of a Cash-for-Transfer Racket
The controversy erupted in October when city BJP chief Ameet Satam and prominent RTI activist Anil Galgali filed formal complaints. In his complaint to Commissioner Gagrani, Satam directly named Additional Commissioner Amit Saini, alleging that senior officers were demanding bribes ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 40 lakh for facilitating transfers and group promotions of engineers across various grades.
Satam's complaint detailed that the scam had brought disrepute to both the BMC and the IAS cadre, leaving officers and engineers disillusioned. He even alleged instances where contractors took 'supari' (contract) to get certain inconvenient officers transferred by 'managing' the concerned official.
Responding to the complaints, Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani ordered a stay on all 160-odd engineer transfers in October. He stated that all transfers would be reviewed, with irregular ones being cancelled and only rule-compliant transfers being allowed to proceed.
The Government's Swift Administrative Reshuffle
On Thursday, the state government replaced Amit Saini with IAS officer Avinash Dhakne (2017 batch). Prior to this posting, Dhakne served as the Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Notably, both Saini and Dhakne were recently on election duty in Bihar.
Amit Saini, a 2007-batch IAS officer, had been posted to the BMC only in March 2024. Officials described his removal as an "out-of-turn" transfer, and he has not been assigned a new posting yet. In his defense, Saini had previously claimed the allegations were baseless and that no irregularities existed in the transfer process.
The same government order also appointed IAS officers Atul Patne as Principal Secretary for administrative innovation in the General Administration Department (GAD) and Kanhuraj Bagate as Director of Information Technology.
Demands for a Deeper Probe and Reactions
While welcoming the transfer, the complainants have insisted that it is not enough. Ameet Satam has demanded a thorough departmental enquiry and an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into all transfers proposed by Saini. He emphasized that a mere transfer does not address the core allegations of corruption.
RTI activist Anil Galgali thanked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the decisive action. He stated that the transfer sends the right message to the bureaucracy, promoting transparency and accountability. Galgali added that the CM's response to their demand ensures officers cannot misuse their power and position.
This development highlights ongoing concerns about corruption within municipal administrations and underscores the pressure for greater accountability in public service postings. The stay on the bulk transfers and the subsequent high-profile officer transfer mark a critical moment for India's richest civic body.
