Bank scam case: Mumbai Police files FIR against BJP leader in upper house

Mumbai, March 15 (IANS) In another jolt to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Mumbai Police has registered a FIR against Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Pravin Darekar in connection with an alleged cheating case, officials said on Tuesday.

The police action came in a complaint filed on January 8, with the MRA Marg Police Station, by Aam Aadmi Party state Secretary Dhananjay Shinde, accusing Darekar of allegedly cheating people, the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank, and the state Cooperative Department, said a party spokesperson.

Interestingly, nearly four months earlier in September 2021, Shiv Sena leader Kishore Tiwari had filed a similar criminal complaint with the Ghatkopar police station, claiming that Darekar was "a 'crore-pati' labourer who had allegedly misdeclared his professional credentials in his election affidavits".

"The Ghatkopar police had probed the matter and later submitted its report to the state government for suitable action. In the second case (today), Darekar faces various criminal sections. Union Minister for Cooperatives Amit Shah and the BJP should now make their stand clear," Tiwari said.

Darekar has been charged under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, etc, police said.

Tiwari's earlier complaint alleged that Darekar posed as a member of the Pratigya Mazur Sahakari Sanstha (PMSS), Ghatkopar, a labour cooperative society, on the basis of which he represented as a Director with the MDCCB, and worked as a fulltime Chairman from 2011-2021.

However, in his statutory affidavits in Form 26 for two elections, Darekar stated on oath his profession - and that of his wife Sayli Darekar - as "independent business", which was false and misleading, said Tiwari.A

The issue was first reported by IANS - "Maha BJP LoP Pravin Darekar is a 'crorepati labourer': Sena leader" - on September 25, 2021.

"On the basis of these falsehoods, he was elected to the Upper House on both occasions, looted the government through full salaries, allowances, honorarium, privileges, and as Leader of Opposition, enjoys a Cabinet Minister rank plus the MDCCB perks," Tiwari claimed.

AAP's Shinde said that Darekar's claims were later found wrong and during his Chairmanship, he indulged in various alleged financial irregularities at MDCCB, worth to the tune of over Rs 2,000 crore, for which he plans to move the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing.