The ₹5,000 crore slum redevelopment project at Annanagar, Vitthal-Rakhumai, and Kasam Nagar in Andheri is likely to face hurdles. A complaint has been submitted to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the company to whom the project was awarded, government officials, including the present CEO of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), for helping a blacklisted developer grab the contract, and the builder for allegedly being involved in illegal activities under the Money Laundering Act.
Krishna Chamankar of M/s K.S. Chamankar Enterprises, who was to develop the slum and whose contract was terminated over the alleged links in the Maharashtra Sadan scam, New Delhi, submitted a complaint to the Joint Director (ED) on January 24, a copy of which is available with The Hindu .
As per the complaint, officers of the SRA, including the CEO, caused a revenue loss of ₹156.36 crore to the State government by giving undue benefits to and accepting kickbacks from the new developer, Shiv Infra Vision Private Limited.
The complaint also sought an FIR against the SRA CEO, SRA blacklisted developer Shailesh Mehta for grabbing the slum redevelopment project, and licensed surveyor Mehul Waghela — to whom the Letter of Intent was issued for the the project on January 16 — for involving in activities under the Money Laundering Act.
Mr. Mehta, whose company Sunshine Builder & Developers was blacklisted in June 29, 2015, had formed LTR SSM Private Limited, along with L&T Realty, to compete for the redevelopment project. Following reports in The Hindu about the blacklisted developer entering the project through back door, L&T Realty had backed out. Its election symbol ‘Autorickshaw’ was then given to Shiv Infra Vision Pvt. Ltd.
Prithvijeet Chavan, one of the directors of Shiv Infra Vision Pvt. Ltd, had joined hands with Mr. Mehta’s son Saurabh Shailesh Mehta as directors of Virtual Construction Private Limited on September 24, 2018. According to documents from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Chavan and Saurabh became directors of Virtual a day before the deadline of filing applications by companies interested in executing the redevelopment project. This has led to allegations that Mr. Mehta has secured back door entry to the project.
The slum redevelopment project was stuck in a controversy for years after it was linked with the Maharashtra Sadan scam that is under investigation by the ED. It was also linked to former Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who was in jail for more than a year, and is now out on bail.