Maha govt waived Rs 59 L in rent from ex-ministers: RTI reply

The Maharashtra government waived a rent of Rs 59 lakh due from BJP leaders Eknath Khadse and Vijaykumar Gavit for overstaying in their official residences, a reply under the Right to Information (RTI) has said.

Khadse was revenue minister in the BJP-led government until 2016 when he resigned over charges of corruption. Gavit was a minister in the earlier Congress-NCP regime.

As per the reply to a query filed by RTI activist Anil Galgali, Khadse owed a rent of Rs 15.49 lakh while Gavit owed Rs 43.84 lakh to the Public Works Department.

Galgali had sought information from the PWD about whether they paid off the dues.

The PWD's reply said the rent was waived as a "special case" upon orders of the General Administration Department.

PWD had sought Rs 15,49,974 from Khadse for overstaying at 'Ramtek', an official bungalow, beyond the permissible period after he resigned.

Khadse resigned on June 4, 2016 but vacated the bungalow on November 19 that year.

The senior BJP leader had applied to the government on March 26, 2018 seeking waiver of the rent, the reply said.

Gavit had been allotted a 3,330 sq ft flat in government-owned Suruchi building in south Mumbai when he was a minister.

Gavit resigned on March 20, 2014 and later joined the BJP. But he vacated the flat only on July 29, 2016, as per the PWD which manages these properties.

He was liable to pay Rs 43,84,500, but he applied for a waiver and it was granted as a special case on October 22 this year, the RTI reply said.