Activist Damania appears before ACB gives detail of Rs 341 crore 'scam' in agriculture dept

Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) Social activist Anjali Damania on Wednesday appeared before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and gave detail about a Rs 341 crore "scam" in the agriculture department when it was headed by NCP leader and former Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde.
Damania had earlier filed a corruption complaint against Munde and appeared before the anti-graft agency for enquiry in connection with that.
The activist, who reached the ACB headquarters in Worli at around 11.30 am, was enquired by officials of the anti-corruption agency about her complaint against Munde for more than four hours, an official said.
During the questioning, Damania explained the Rs 341 crore 'scam' in the agriculture department when it was headed by Munde (July 2023-November 2024) and submitted relevant papers to back her allegations.
When contacted by PTI, Damania said "Today I explained the entire scam in detail and gave them (ACB) all the papers."
The activist informed that she will record her statement on Tuesday (June 10).
The ACB wanted to get more information about the corruption allegations and sent a letter to Damania on Monday, asking her to appear before them with documents related to the complaint against Munde.
The NCP leader, who was the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister in the Mahayuti 2.0 government, resigned from the cabinet in March after his close aide was arrested for the murder of a village sarpanch in his home district Beed in November last year.
Earlier this year, Damania alleged a ‘scam’ in the agriculture department when Munde held the portfolio in the first Mahayuti government.
Despite the Union government’s 2016 directive to transfer money directly to farmers’ bank accounts under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the agriculture department purchased equipment and fertilisers for distribution to farmers at inflated rates, she had claimed.

The activist had accused Munde of facilitating corruption as the agriculture minister in 2024 by issuing orders without any genuine cabinet decisions being taken.

The NCP leader had dismissed Damania’s allegations as “baseless and ridiculous” and dared her to move court if she possessed any concrete proof.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)