EX-NCP MP Pingale took blank cheques from APMC staff to

Former NCP MP and Nashik APMC chairman Devidas Pingale, arrested in connection with seizure of unaccounted cash, allegedly used to take blank cheques from employees and withdrew money which was meant for their dearness allowance and other dues, ACB said toady.
Pingale, held yesterday, was produced before a local court today which remanded him in police custody until December 25.
"A case was registered against Pingale under section 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) of IPC and the Anti Corruption Act 1988, at Mhasrul police station," said Superintendent of Police (ACB) Panjabrao Ugale.

The NCP leader was arrested after ACB sleuths quizzed him for over two hours in the agency's office.
The case pertains to the seizure of Rs 57,73,800 from a car in Panchvati area on October 25 by ACB. The agency had arrested the APMC (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) secretary Vijay Nikam, accountant Arvind Jain and clerk Digambar Chikhale, who were travelling in the vehicle.
The trio had told police the cash was the dearness allowance (DA) and the difference in dues meant for APMC employees.
"Pingale took blank cheques from APMC employees and withdrew said amount received from government in the DA and other differences in dues of employees. He accepted the money at his home. ACB has proof of this," Ugale said.

Pingale had represented Nashik constituency during 2004-09.