Mumbai: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) swooped down on suspended deputy collector Nitesh Thakur's 26 properties across eight cities in Maharashtra and found he has disproportionate assets worth over Rs 118 crore.
on Wednesday, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials had to cut open the door to the room in which suspended deputy collector Nitesh Thakur had holed himself up. He had shut himself away to thwart detention in a disproportionate assets case, but the officials finally got him.
The detention came after the ACB on Wednesday raided 26 of his properties worth Rs 118 crore, which are spread across eight cities in coastal Maharashtra including Mumbai. His assets are 65,854 per cent more than his known sources of income, officials said.
Thakur, who served MHADA between 1988 and 2011 as deputy collector, has alleged that the properties were purchased from his personal income, not his government salary. According to the ACB's FIR, Thakur has amassed wealth amounting to Rs 1,18,39,22,816, which is out of skew with the monthly salary of Rs 50,000 he drew at MHADA, officials said.
The synchronised raids were carried out by the Raigad, Alibaug and Thane units of the ACB at Thakur's properties in Raigad, Alibaug, Murud, Delkade, Kolgaon, Ghoteghar and Chikali. In Mumbai, the ACB forayed his properties in Kandivli, Gorai, Borivli, Vile Parle, Andheri, Goradianagar and Ghatkopar.
"His family members, including wife Meenal, mother Chhaya Janardhan and brother Nilesh have helped him transfer some properties to their names and conceal his disproportionate assets," said an ACB officer from Raigad division.
Thakur and his brother were arrested in February 2011 by the Mumbai Crime Branch for threatening builder Mukesh Wagela, following which he was suspended. He got on the ACB's radar after officials saw that a government official had such extravagant wealth.
"Thakur was leading a luxurious life. We have seized luxury cars like a Range Rover, an Audi, a Honda Civic and a Honda CRV from him," said an ACB official.
"We have detained Thakur, who had locked himself up in his house in Swapnashil building, Mahant Road, Vile Parle (East). They had to cut a hole in the door to get to him," another official said.
ACB sources revealed that they also recovered some cash from Thakur's car and jewellery from his residence.
Property details
Some of the assets owned by Thakur include:
Murud: Farmland and Shower Line Hotel worth Rs 6 crore
Chikalpadi: A house
Alibaug: Several properties worth Rs 26 crore 4 flats in Someshwar Vaibhav building; 2 shops in Pooja apartments; 5 shops in Shruti Sarang apartments; 1 flat and 1 shop in Vandana apartments
Belkade near Alibaug: A farmland worth Rs 5 crore
Thakurwadi, Sindhudurg: A bungalow
Mumbai properties
Kandivli: A flat in Viceroy Court; a flat in the name of his brother Nilesh worth Rs 1 crore; a flat in Suncity building worth Rs 1 crore
Samta Nagar: An office space
Gorai: A bungalow; a shop
MHB colony: 3 shops in Shree Complex worth Rs 1 crore
Borivli: A flat in Yoganand society in his brother's name worth Rs 1 crore
Vile Parle: A duplex flat on the fifth and sixth floors of Swapnashil building and another flat, in all worth Rs 9.5 crore; a flat in Sapphire building worth Rs 1.75 crore
Andheri: A flat in Ishtadev Sadan worth Rs 1 crore
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