In a significant administrative shake-up, the Maharashtra government on Thursday removed additional municipal commissioner Amit Saini from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). This action follows serious allegations of a cash-for-transfer scam involving engineers within the civic body. Saini has been replaced by IAS officer Avinash Dhakne.
Transfers Stayed Amid Corruption Allegations
The controversy erupted in October when BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani stayed the transfers of over 160 engineers. This decision came after formal complaints were lodged by city BJP chief Ameet Satam and prominent RTI activist Anil Galgali. The core allegation was that senior officers were demanding bribes ranging from Rs 5 lakh to a staggering Rs 40 lakh for facilitating transfers and promotions of engineers across various grades.
Commissioner Gagrani had ordered a review, stating all transfers were put on hold. He announced that irregular transfers would be cancelled, while those found to be within rules would be permitted. In his defense, Amit Saini had dismissed the allegations as baseless, asserting that all transfer procedures were regular and followed established norms.
A Swift and Out-of-Turn Government Action
The state government's move to shunt out Saini is being viewed as an out-of-turn transfer. An IAS officer of the 2007 batch, Saini was posted to the BMC only in March 2024. As of now, he has not been assigned a new posting. His replacement, Avinash Dhakne, is a 2017-batch IAS officer who was previously serving as the member secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Interestingly, both officers were recently deployed on election duty in Bihar.
In related bureaucratic reshuffles, the state 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 Deeper Probe and Reactions
While the transfer has been executed, the complainants are demanding a more thorough investigation. BJP's Ameet Satam insisted that a mere transfer is insufficient. He has called for a comprehensive departmental enquiry and a probe by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into all transfers proposed by Saini.
In his detailed complaint to Commissioner Gagrani, Satam alleged that the scam had brought disrepute to both the BMC and the IAS cadre. He claimed to have received information from engineers and his sources about the specific bribe amounts. He also alleged that some contractors were taking 'supari' (contract) to get officers they found inconvenient transferred by 'managing' the concerned official.
RTI activist Anil Galgali welcomed the government's decision, thanking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He stated that this transfer sends the right message for transparency and accountability in the bureaucracy. Galgali emphasized that officers must not be allowed to misuse their power and position, and the CM's action was a direct response to their demands.
The episode has cast a shadow over the administrative processes in India's richest municipal corporation. The stay on 160 transfers and the subsequent removal of a senior officer underscore the seriousness with which the allegations are being treated. The focus now shifts to whether a formal criminal investigation will be initiated to uncover the full extent of the alleged scam.
