Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday ordered a high-level investigation into the tender process for the sale of Hotel VITS in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The sale involved Siddhant Shirsat, son of Shiv Sena’s Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, prompting concerns over procedural violations.
The decision followed a heated debate on a Calling Attention Motion led by Opposition Leader Ambadas Danve.
Danve alleged that officials allowed a firm incorporated in 2024 to bid for the hotel using outdated 2018 rates, ignoring the property’s much higher current valuation.
Concerns over cartelisation & undervaluation
According to Danve, the bidding company lacked the required three years of income tax returns (ITRs), raising further questions about the transparency of the process.
He claimed that a cartel rigged the tender process and awarded it to an ineligible firm, M/s Siddhant Material Procurement and Supply, for just ₹65 crore, even though the property’s value was around ₹150 crore.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule informed the Assembly that authorities had cancelled the tender and clarified that a special MPID court order had determined the hotel’s valuation.
He stated that six earlier tenders since 2018 had failed to attract bidders.
Allegations of Nepotism & political pressure
Danve pointed out that the winning bidder is the minister’s son and that the 2024 election affidavit of Minister Shirsat does not mention any property in his son’s name.
Opposition MLCs Anil Parab, Bhai Jagtap, and Shashikant Shinde demanded accountability from both the officials and the company involved.
While Bawankule maintained the tender had been withdrawn and a revised process would follow, the Opposition insisted on the action and called for Minister Shirsat’s resignation.
Shirsat responds amid opposition outcry
Minister Shirsat defended himself, stating that the auction followed court directives and that officials merely executed those orders.
He dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
Despite continued sloganeering, CM Fadnavis reiterated the government’s commitment to transparency and announced a high-level probe to determine whether any procedural lapses had occurred.
Also read: Ramdas Athawale Slams Raj Thackeray Over Language Row; Urges Strict Action Against Violecen
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
