IAS officer Iqbal Singh Chahal, who became well-known for his efforts during the Covid pandemic, has been appointed as the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) by the Maharashtra government on Thursday. Previously, Chahal served as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office. However, an official order issued on Thursday transferred him, assigning him the new responsibility of overseeing law and order in the state. This move is being seen as a significant development within Maharashtra’s bureaucracy.
Following this appointment, the opposition has begun criticizing the government. The opposition claims that it is unjust for the Shinde government to assign Chahal, who is facing several ongoing inquiries, the responsibility of managing the state’s law and order.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) spokesperson Anand Dubey questioned the decision, stating, “Jab Saiyan Bhaye Kotwal To Dar Ka Ka.” The Shiv Sena Uddhav faction has demanded that instead of addressing the allegations against Chahal, the Maharashtra government is rewarding him with a prestigious posting.
Iqbal Singh Chahal, a 1989 batch IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, served as the BMC Commissioner during the COVID crisis in Mumbai. However, during this period, numerous corruption allegations were made against him.
Allegations Against Chahal
Street Furniture Scam of Rs 236 Crore: Shiv Sena leader and former minister Aditya Thackeray accused Chahal of corruption in the issuance of a Rs 263 crore tender for installing street furniture in Mumbai. The issue was raised during an assembly session, and after escalating, the tender was eventually canceled.
COVID Scams (2020-22)
Among the various corruption allegations against Chahal, the most significant pertains to the expenditure of crores by the BMC during the COVID period. These include the Covid body bag scam, the Khichdi scam, the oxygen plant scam, and the jumbo hospital scam.
Specific Allegations
The BMC spent a total of Rs 49.63 lakh to purchase body bags priced at Rs 2,000 each at an inflated rate of Rs 6,800. A complaint was lodged with the Mumbai Police, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also investigating the matter.
Other investigations include the Covid Jumbo Center scam of Rs 32.44 crore, the Khichdi scam of Rs 6.37 crore, the Oxygen Plant scam of Rs 102 crore, and the Remdesivir injection scam of Rs 5.96 crore, all of which are under central agency scrutiny.
Chahal has also been accused of supervising officers who allegedly received lucrative postings in exchange for money. Several Mumbai councilors have accused him of involvement in a cash-for-transfer scam.
It’s worth noting that following the Badalpur sexual harassment case, the state government has faced embarrassment, and now, Chahal’s appointment has provided the opposition with another issue to target the government.
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