Cooker scam rocks Mumbai? BMC’s ‘overpriced’ procurement & unauthorized distribution by MLA Dilip Lande raises eyebrows

The Saki Naka police have initiated an investigation into a purported multi-crore scam involving pressure cookers, following a complaint by advocate Nikhil Kamble. Kamble’s complaint centers on the allegation that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) purchased 50,000 pressure cookers, each with a three-litre capacity, for distribution to underprivileged communities.

According to Kamble, instead of the BMC distributing the cookers directly to the poor, they were handed over to local Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLA Dilip Lande. The complainant asserts that these cookers were stored on Lande’s premises and later distributed as if they were gifts from him, while in reality, they were purchased by the BMC. Kamble has criticized Lande for using these cookers to garner votes for his upcoming re-election campaign, alleging that this misuse of municipal resources has gone unchecked, partly due to Lande’s affiliation with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s party.

Further complicating the issue, Kamble contends that the BMC acquired the cookers at a price significantly inflated compared to the market rate. Documents accessed by Kamble indicate that BMC paid Rs. 2,498 per cooker for 1,000 units purchased from Gurukrupa Enterprise in Borivali (East), totaling Rs. 24.98 lakhs. This price is nearly four times higher than the retail value of Rs. 600.

Kamble has demanded that legal action be taken against Lande, his party workers, and relevant BMC officials. His complaint, submitted on July 25, called for the recovery of the cookers and an investigation into the alleged irregularities. Despite highlighting the issue to BMC officials, Kamble reported no significant action until his complaint reached the police commissioner, prompting an official probe.

Assistant Inspector Hindurao Chaudhari, leading the investigation, stated that he had sought a statement from Assistant Municipal Commissioner Dhanaji Hirlekar, who requested more time due to other commitments. Hirlekar defended the BMC’s actions, stating that while the cookers are indeed distributed through Lande, they are securely stored in municipal facilities. He maintained that the distribution process adhered to BMC procedures, although he acknowledged that the MLA’s promotional banners were beyond the BMC’s control.

In response, Lande denied any involvement in the procurement process or the cookers’ inflated pricing, asserting that he was only invited by the BMC to participate in the distribution event due to a lack of elected corporators. Lande distanced himself from any wrongdoing, placing the responsibility for any irregularities on the BMC.

Citizen groups, including the Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association, have also condemned the procurement, claiming that substandard cookers were purchased at an exorbitant rate and that the BMC’s name was omitted from the cookers in favor of Lande’s branding.

As the investigation unfolds, the police have yet to file an FIR but are reviewing the details of the complaint. The situation continues to develop, with stakeholders from both the civic body and the political arena under scrutiny.