‘Investigate sources of funds’of Kripashankar Singh

Almost a year after giving clean chit to Congress MLA from Kalina Kripashankar Singh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has decided to renew its probe and investigate if some interest-free loans received by the Congress leader had any link with money laundering. The additional solicitor general, Darius Khambata, on Thursday assured the Bombay high court that the agency will investigate if any offence had taken place in transfer of the interest-free loans and if it was a scheduled offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The assurance came after the division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice DG Karnik questioned him: “What about the so-called interest-free loans?” The income tax (I-T) department, which has completed its probe into the assets held by the Congress leader and his family members, had stumbled upon the interest-free loans during the course of its investigation. It is, however, not clear as to how much amount had been transferred to Singh’s account by way of the interest-free loans, as Khambata submitted the I-T investigation report to the court in a sealed cover.
The judges also suggested that the ED should also probe if the funds were connected with any of the accused involved in offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. To this, Khambata said that though the source of the interest-free loans had been identified, the ED will further probe the matter to ascertain if the funds were proceeds of any crime. During course of hearing on a Public Interest Litigation filed by city-resident Sanjay Tiwari, the judges also asked why the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had not so far registered any offence against Singh. Advocate general Ravi Kadam answered the query stating the ACB had prima facie found a case of disproportionate assets against Singh and his wife. He clarified that an opportunity is given to the public servant to explain the assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income before registering an FIR. The couple would be given an opportunity to explain their allegedly excess assets of about Rs1.81 crore, Kadam added.
Tiwari had sought setting up of a special investigating team to probe alleged accumulation of unaccounted wealth by Singh and his family members. He had listed numerous immovable properties purchased by the Congress leader and his family members, and cash transactions running into crores of rupees reflected in their bank accounts. Replying to the PIL, the ED had in March last year informed the high court that it had found no direct evidence linking Singh to the Madhu Koda money laundering scam. The division bench directed the three agencies — ED, ACB and I-T department — to share their reports, conduct further probe, and submit another report by April 28.

Bridge work on Kalina-Kurla Road finally begins in full swing

The muhurat of the bridge work had taken place in early 2009 in the presence of corporator Alice Johnson Therattil;  Naseem Khan - Suburbs Gurdian Minister along with MRCC President and MLA Kripashankar Singh. Since the work in progress got delayed, recently a meeting was called in the chamber of  Director Ashok Shintre along with all senior officers and the following ponts were discussed:
1. The bridge work should be speeded up and completed by end of April 2011.
2. The bridge started partially collapsing on the sides as the traffic load is very heavy and it is too old.
3. The condition of the bridge is turning bad to worse day by day and the Corporator was asked to contact Sr. Inspector Traffic Vakola to seriously look into the matter as he was not diverting the full traffic through CST road instead of Kalina Kurla Road even though Jt. Commissioner Traffic Mumbai has given his consent.
4. Director ordered all concerned Sr. Officials to personally go to the site and take stock of the situation in speeding of the work.
5. Although work order duration is 21 months for completion of bridge work from 1st November 2008, it seems a major portion of the work is yet to be completed. It was also  seriously discussed that in case of any serious collapse of the bridge it would be at the risk and cost of all concerned officials.
Subsequently the work started in full swing by the third week of March after closing the traffic at Kalina Kurla road by diverting to CST road.

India became the team that refused to be beaten

India plotted a new era of cricket domination the day after its stunning World Cup success confirmed its status as the sport's superpower. The comfortable six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Mumbai, India's first world title since 1983, was also being viewed as a reflection of the country's growing commercial and political muscle. In the last three to four years India has done well in shooting, badminton, tennis, hockey and football. We are growing as a sporting nation. But cricket is special because of the infrastructure. It all started with the 1983 win. Then two big players, Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar, came on the scene, followed by Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.
Dhoni, the son of a steel factory worker, is a multi-millionaire thanks to a career which has seen him become the first man to captain a World Cup and World Twenty20 winning side. His team are also top of the Test world rankings. Throughout the six-week tournament, he was a regular on match-day TV commercials, endorsing everything from ceiling fans to mobile phones to high-end property.
Significantly, even before the last celebratory firework exploded in the Mumbai night sky on Saturday, the team's paymasters were keeping them sweet with rewards of $225,000 per player for capturing the trophy. Indian newspapers revelled Sunday in victory, hailing Dhoni's men as heroes for a new generation. "The World At Our Feet" crowed the front page headline in the Times of India. "The wait has ended and a new legend has been born," the Times said, putting Dhoni's squad on the same pedestal as the 1983 side. "Windia!" was the banner headline in the Indian Express.
Saturday's victory for India also sparked tributes to Sachin Tendulkar, the record-breaking batsman, who finally won a world title at his sixth attempt and just three weeks short of his 38th birthday. "Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It was time we carried him," young team-mate Virat Kohli said.
On both counts, the Indians came off at the Wankhede Stadium like the fireworks that lit up the Mumbai night seconds after Dhoni's bold signature six sealed their triumph. The final was the time when all the incomplete notes of India's World Cup performance fell into sync. Gautam Gambhir, who had three fifties in the Cup yet had not seized a game by its throat personally, produced his most convincing performance to lift India from the shock of losing their openers. He was central to two partnerships that took India from 32 for 2 to a six-wicket victory. There they were. Not a familiar India dependant on its batting, but a more secure, self-assured India, batting as if chases in finals were like having a net, except with a crowd cheering them on. This was India in its most accomplished situational batting performance of the event, chasing down 274 with 99 singles, 24 twos and even a three. In every knock out game, India has, through sheer consistency of method, exposed the weakness of its opposition. It made the most of Australia's uneven bowling attack, defended against Pakistan by pressing hard in the field and forcing its batsmen to fumble, and stunned Sri Lanka by letting the weight and experience of its batting bear down by taking the barest minimum of risks, but making sure to always keep the score moving.
India's danger signs for the opposition in this World Cup came not with its attacking openers or any flood of fours, but with what its weakest links were able to do. When Indian fielders start diving, its batsmen start taking threes or sprinting surprising singles, or its most medium of pacers begin to repeatedly beat the edges and hurry batsmen, it is time for the opposition to worry. Or as the old says goes, to be afraid. In a World Cup knockout, that should have read very afraid. After the game at the Wankhede, Dhoni said that the World Cup win had ended a chapter in Indian cricket that had opened with the World Twenty20 win of 2007, where, not only was he captain but also top scorer in the final. "Right now we can close the chapter. We need to build a team again. Because of the amount of cricket we play, we need quite a few reserves players to come in and bowl. We need spinners and batsmen to be at their best because if we want to do well at the international level, we will have to try out quite a few players and not think about the result."
Two weeks ago, the audience would have guffawed. Now, it must nod in agreement. Today, it is perhaps wiser to give Dhoni and India's theories the time to be tried out. After all, over the course of six weeks, with their victory, they have busted a few old ones and proved several of their own right. That fielding can be lifted, no matter what dotage the players may belong to. All through the tournament, Dhoni had constantly reminded outsiders that the Indians were not really good fielders yet in the knockouts, they stepped up a level with every single game. No matter how clumsy or non-polished their techniques, the oldest and creakiest of the Indians were diving to stop boundaries. Where India were most astonishingly impressive during the knockouts was in cricket's most 'unselfish' art - in the field. All through the tournament, Dhoni who specialises in automobile analogies, had compared the Indian fielding to an old car engine trying to adjust to working with hybrid fuel. After the semi-final, he had said, that all he hoped for now was one more game. "After that, even if some of the cars fall down, it is okay."
Then there is this last one: about India not really hacking it in ICC tournaments. Partly true. Not in the World Twenty20, not in the Champions Trophy. But in this one, the ICC's biggest tournament, the Indians more than hacked it. When it came down to the rounds where both ability and nerve came into play, India became the team that refused to be beaten.

Income Tax department conducts raids at Kripashankar’s residence

During the past 18-months Santacruz Patrika has been regularly reporting on the alleged Kripashankar scandals and disproportionate assets in his wife and sons names. Some of the earlier articles reported by this publication are - 'Will Kripashankar tide over alleged involvement of Rs 4,000 crore scam' dated 18-24th July, 2010; 'Will Kripa be relinquished of Mumbai Chief post dated 8-14th August,2010'; 'Kripashankar suffers a further setback in scam probe' dated 19-25th December,2010; 'HC asks for speedy inquiry into Kripashankar's alleged disproportionate assets' dated 6-12th March,2011.
Mumbai’s chief of Congress and Kalina’s MLA Kripashankar Singh, for the past two years has been entangled into a heap of controversies. In a latest development in the 2G scam money trail, it has come to light that DB Realty promoter Shahid Balwa had paid Rs 4 crore to the son of a prominent Congress leader. Reports today said referring to documents in possession of RTI activist Sanjay Tiwari that the telecom and real estate company paid Rs 4 crore to Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Kripashankar Singh's son, Narendramohan Singh. The money is reported to have paid the money in three instalments in 2009. "The money received from DB Realty was part of a business transaction but was returned in March 2010 as the deal did not materialise. All the transactions are reflected in books of accounts and income tax returns," said Narendramohan. Dynamix Realty has issued a statement in this regard. "Dynamix Realty had given a loan to Mr. Narendra Mohan Singh which has been repaid to the company on 12th March 2010." Income Tax department also conducted raids at Kripashankar’s residence today. Tiwari had on March 18 filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court in connection with the case. The HC has ordered the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department and the Anti-Corruption Bureau to probe Kripashankar Singh and submit a report within 4 weeks.
Last year raids were conducted by the Income-Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate into Kripashankar’s alleged involvement of the Rs 2,000-crore Madhu Koda scam. Investigators are examining, among his other assets, savings bank accounts of his family that show disproportionately large transactions between 2006-07 and 2008-09, and several discrepancies in documents that suggest forgery.
Eight savings bank accounts of his family members and close associates are under the scanner. Three of these accounts show cash deposits and transfers of nearly Rs 65 crore in two years by Kripashankar’s wife Maltidevi Singh and son Narendra Mohan Singh. These transactions unearth at a time when Kripashankar was All-India Congress Committee (AICC) observer for Jharkhand, exactly when Koda, an independent MLA then, was sworn in CM with Congress support. Further, at that time his son, Narendra Mohan married Ankita, daughter of Jharkhand politician Kamlesh Singh, in April ’08. Ankita’s dad Kamlesh Singh was then water resources minister in the Koda government and is a key accused in the scam.
Both Koda and Kamlesh Singh were arrested; the Jharkhand vigilance bureau filed preliminary charge sheets against them for holding assets disproportionate to known sources of income. Kamlesh Singh’s assets were estimated at nearly 130 per cent more than his sources of income. However, it is alleged that a considerable sum of scam money may have been diverted through his daughter, son-in-law and the latter’s father. Also, on investigations it is revealed that the Koda diary, incidentally, mentions a “Kripashankar a/c” with several entries against it. Kripashankar has denied it was him, but investigators have placed him and his family under scrutiny.
Kripashankar’s family owns properties in projects executed by one of the real estate companies which deposited huge amounts into his son’s account; the company also has infrastructure projects in Jharkhand. Also, there was a sudden rise in the wealth and property acquisitions of the Kripashankar family in Mumbai during the years Koda held sway in Jharkhand (first as mines minister in the Arjun Munda-led BJP regime, and later as CM). This includes a large duplex apartment near Mumbai airport, a bungalow on Bandra’s Carter Road, known as one of the costliest property prices of real estate in Mumbai, office spaces and shops at key locations in projects by either of the two real estate companies associated with the family, and land in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
The PIL, filed early this year by social worker and RTI activist Sanjay Tiwari, had linked Singh with the Madhu Koda scandal and raised questions about his assets. The petitioner was represented by senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani and Mihir Desai. The petitioner contended that in 2006 when Singh was an AICC observer for Jharkhand, he was instrumental in installing the Madhu Koda government. Koda was arrested along with his then ministerial colleague Kamlesh Singh. Incidentally, Kamlesh Singh's daughter Ankita is married to Kripashankar's son Narendra alias Sanjay Singh.
He also pointed out that Singh used chartered flights often and it was "obvious that large sums of money were paid for this purpose and this needs to be investigated". The petitioner further alleged that he has not declared his wife's property details when he stood for elections in 2009. The petition alleged that Singh's daughter Sunita has two ration cards and her husband Vijay Kumar Singh was a resident of UP and a government employee there till April 1997. Yet, Vijay Kumar was allotted a house in Maharashtra in joint name from CM's discretionary quota on the basis of fake documents.

Kalina-Kurla Bridge partially collapses

About a fortnight ago we had carried a lead story on 'Widening of bridge over Mithi river moving at snail pace'.Despite, the local corporator Alice Therattil regularly following up with BMC on the lethargic behaviour in the speedy work of widening of the Kalina-Kurla Bridge, the work has hardly progressed. Also, MP Priya Dutt and MLA Kripashankar intervened in the matter  but the work has not progressed an inch. Despite, a  tender being floated in 2006 and a contractor alloted the job it is astonishing to note that he has hardly done any work of widening the bridge during the past five years. Also, as per the tender the work had to be completed by September, 2010 and the term of the tender too has expired. It was last week a minor mishap took place on the bridge and blocks of the bridge began cracking. However, while speaking to Johnson Therattil he clarified with Santacruz Patrika and said, " It was last week along with corporator Alice Therattil we had a meeting with Mahanagar Palika officials which included Dy. Chief Engineer Bridges A.P.Pawar, Exec. Engineer  R.B.Tare. In the meeting it was  discussed about the completion of work by April 2011 since the bridge started partially collapsing on the sides as the traffic load is very heavy and the bridge is very old.
"Further, Therattil emphasised," As the condition of the bridge is worsening day by day we had taken up the matter with Jt. Commissioner (Traffic) to divert the traffic through CST Road instead of Kalina Kurla Road so that the widening work could be completed speedily." However, it is strange to note that Sr Inspector (Traffic) has not been permitting the diversion of traffic through   CST  Road despite consent received from Jt Commissioner of Police (Traffic)," clarifies Therattil. Finally,  after the bridge having collapsed partially the vehicular traffic has been diverted to CST Road and the widening of the bridge has begun.
However, ex-coroprator of the ward Mohamed Rafiq Sheikh while speaking to Santacruz Patrika had another version and clarified,"It was in 2006 I had raised the matter of widening of the bridge in Ward Committee meeting and got a tender passed and work sanctioned to a contractor. This is the only bridge of BMC wherein two vehicles cannot pass at a time. Later it was in 2009 before the Assembly elections another inauguration ceremony was performed for the commencement of work in the prersent of distinguished guests. Despite, the work of the widening of the bridge has not progressed and till date not a single concrete beam has been installed." Further Rafiq added, "Even during the Budget session of BMC I had delivered a speech in the House regarding the widening of the bridge and the likelihood of mishaps. But, no progress has taken place," clarified Rafiq. Finally, if the work is not completed we will stage an  'Andolan' in the interest of public cause stated Rafiq. "Further, I have demanded action against the contractor and asked the BMC to blacklist such contractors. It is because of rampant orruption in the BMC  that Engineers hinder the smooth functioning of  projects and the public are the ones to suffer," emphasised the disgusted Rafiq.
Finally, with almost five years passed since the sanction of tender it is surprising that the contractor has not been able to construct a single pilar. With time running out and the bridge getting weaker by the day it would not be far away when the bridge collapses. Now, with the work having started, lets hope there are no further bottlenecks to the smooth progress of the work.  

'Kolovery Village finally gets adequate water supply'- Rafiq Sheikh

The residents of Kolovery Village, Kalina have been suffering for want of adequate water supply for the past 15 years. Finally, unable to face the hardships, a group of prominent residents like Angelo Galbano, Jerome D'Souza, Philo Merchant, Mogi, Rita Galbano, Sanjay Mendonca, Boney Rodrigues, Seema Jainto besides Ram Narayan Pandey, Mohammed Bashir Shah and others visited corporator Mohammed Rafiq Sheikh and took out an agitation against BMC for supply of water. Further, they demanded from BMC that they be provided with a separate line and no builder be allowed to take connections through this line. Taking heed to their demands and the persuasion of Rafiq Sheikh a 9-inch water connection got passed and installed. Asst Engineer (Water Dept) Satpal; Jr. Engineer Amrut and Sub Engineer Rao were instrumental in getting the work done. Also, Patil, Asst Engineer, Maint (H/E ward); Parulekar, Sub Engg, Maint and Komani, Jr. Engg Maintenance played a role in the implementation of the pipeline.
Finally, most of the taps which were running dry sine the past 10-15 years have got the oppurtunity to see water drops from their taps. The residents of Kolovery Village have appreciated the work of the local  corporator. Similarly, the corporator Rafiq Sheikh has appreciated the persuassion of this publication which has on several ocassions raised the issue of water shortage in the village.

Senior citizen brutally attacked for fighting illegal encroachmets

In our last issue we had carried an article on 'BJP worker from Kalina 'dalal' of BMC. In that article we had exposed the nexus between BMC officials and these dalals and the rampant under deals. We had also highlighted the modus operandi of the racket of  corruption and bribe that is being taking place in these underarm deals. The same pertains to the illegal shops that have been demolished by BMC opposite Emerald Apts, Vakola a few days ago. The story goes back to more than 20 years ago when these illegal shops took root. It  is reported that initially  a few shops sprang up with four bamboos. Later they were constructed into full fledged shops. While speaking to Santacruz Patrika, one of the shopkeepers said, "I have been carrying on my business since 1984. It was during the time of Municipal Commissioner G.Khairnar that a mass scale demolition took place. Afterwards, we have been served several notices for  demolition" Adding further he said, "We have got gumasta licence from BMC. Many of us have electricity bills. Despite, we have been facing the problem of frequent demolitions."
Another shopkeeper emphasised, "It was only about three years ago the local corporator Sanjay Potnis took up the job of construction of a gutter. At that  time our shops were demolished and we were off business for almost a week." After constructing the gutter we were allowed to set up our shops above the gutter. And our gumusta licence which had expired has not been renewed as yet despite the assurances received from the corporator," alleged one of the shopkeepers. It is understood that these shopkeepers have  been making franatic trips to BMC for renewal of their liccence but in vain.
It  was about a week ago BMC had issued notices to the shopkeepers for demolition against a complaint lodged by Charandas Khushlani, residing at Emerald Apartments. As the period of the notice expired it is learnt that about 15 shopkeepers visited Sanjay Potnis and requested for help in the matter. One of the shopkeeper who visited Sanjay Potnis told Santacruz Patrika, "During the meeting Sanjay Potnis assured us that he would speak to BMC and hold the demolition for a week and in the meantime he asked  us to immediately get a stay order from the Court." While, we left the meeting with the corporator, we found to our surprise that within 15 minutes the BMC demolition squad along with police came at the site and started demolishing our shops. Almost all the shops were demolished to ground level."

But on the day of the demolition it is learnt that the complainant Chetandas Kushalani was brutally attacked by some miscreants early morning while he had left for his routine morning walk. While Santaruz Patrika made attempts to contact Kushalani it is learnt that he is admitted in the ICU of Hinduja Hospital and is in a serious condition. However his daughter a corporate lawyer while speaking to Santacruz Patrika elaborated the incident and said," My dad is a 68-year-old diabetic patient who has been fighting against illegal activities. And for his good deeds he has to pay such a heavy price." Adding further she said, " My dad was a dog fan and everyday while going for his routine morning walk  used to feed biscuits for the stray dogs. On the day of the attack, my dad as usual left for his routine. Suddenly, my relative who heard screams witnessed my dad being attacked by two miscreants who had covered their face. We were immediately informed and my brother rushed down to the help of dad. He was beaten very badly and sustained multiple fractures and was also bleeding profously."
"My brother immediately put him in an autorickshaw and one of the miscreants started pulling my dad to push him into a taxi. But my brother  managed to push the miscreant and take daddy  to Vakola Police Station and hospital. Had not it been for the presence of mind of my brother, my dad would have been driven into the taxi and nobody would have known his fate,"narrated his daughter while in tears.
Further, while verifying the attack on Kushalani, a shopkeeper added, "I have heard of the attack. But unsure about the miscreants." He further added by saying,"It was about two years ago Kushalani had lodged a complaint with BMC and we were served demolition notice." But when we approached BMC we were given a compromise package alleged the shopkeeper. He further added that to fulfill the compromise  package all the shopkeepers made a contribution of Rs 6,000 each amounting to Rs 2 lakhs and we handed over this amount to a  BMC official alleged this shopkeeper. Similarly, now too we were asked to pay  a huge amount he alleged.
While clarifying with Kushalani's daughter she said that she was not aware of any compromise. Similarly, Kushalani's son too denied any compromise and said that his dad has been fighting for many years to put an end to the illegal  encroachments. His son said that his father was instrumental in removing a panwallah who used to sit near the gate of Emerald Apts." This panwallah after being removed from the spot vented his anger and smashed the wide screen of my car,"said his son. Further, while speaking to Santacruz Patrika his son clarified, "These miscreants had badly attacked my dad who has been fighting for the rights of the people. These shopkeepers have left no foothpath for the taxpayers to walk and BMC officials by accepting bribe have turned a Nelson eye  to these illegal activities. But, now I am determined to take up these issues in a systematic and professional manner and ensure that we citizens are not deprived of our legal rights instead of these illegal  encroachers enjoying all the luxuries at taxpayers cost."
It is also  learnt that most of the shops have ben encroached by political workers who have rented them out at around Rs 6,000-8,000 pm. A case has ben registered by the Vakola Police Station u/s 326 on Surendra Mane and two unidentified persons. When we spoke to Vakola Police if any arrests have taken place they replied that the culprits will be arrested immediately and will not be allowed to go scot free. Further, clarifying if Surendra Mane was involved in the attack, Kushalani daughter replied,"Since the miscreants attaked my dad from behind he could not identify the attackers. But, since Surendra Mane threatened my dad about 15 days ago to mend his ways or face the consequences, a complaint was lodged against Surendra Mane."It is learnt that Surendra Mane owns two of the demolished shops which have been leased on rent.