The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against former BJP MLA Narendra Mehta. Narendra Mehta has been accused of amassing inappropriate wealth (disproportionate assets) through illegal means. The ACB has also charged Mehta’s wife Suman in the case for abetting the crime.
A case has been registered at Navghar Police Station in Bhayandar under Section 13 (1) (e), 13 (2) of the Corruption Act 1988 and Section 109 of the Indian Penal Code.
In the last assembly elections, he was defeated by a rebellion Geeta Jain, who fought as an Independent candidate.
The action followed after a complaint was registered with the Lokayukta who directed the ACB to conduct an open probe into the matter in 2016. After extended delays, the FIR was finally registered on Thursday. No arrests have been made so far. However, sources said both the accused are absconding.
ACB raided his house and office. Various documents have also been examined. Now, with such an action being taken against only one BJP leader, various political discussions have sprung up.
According to the ACB officials, the investigations and search operations have revealed that the legislator amassed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 8,25,51,772 which is well above his known source of income between 1, January-2006 to 31, August-2015 during which he served as a municipal corporator thrice in MBMC with once Mayor and was later elected as MLA.
Always in the news
Said to be a close confidant of the former chief minister- Devendra Fadnavis, Mehta has always been in news-mostly for the wrong reasons. In February 2020, he claimed to have left the party after his personal videos went viral. Later, one of her party corporators alleged him of being fathered by her son.
In 2016, activist Raju Goyal had alleged that Mehta had unaccounted for assets worth over Rs 2000-3,000 crores. Based on his complaint, Lokayukta directed the ACB to investigate and take appropriate action on the matter.
Political vendetta?
Allegations are being levelled between the Mahavikas Aghadi government and the BJP. It was alleged that BJP was taking action against the leaders of Mahavikas Aghadi with the help of the Central Investigation Agency. Subsequently, allegations of corruption against BJP leaders in the state were lodged with the state’s investigative agencies.
