Did CM Fadnavis Order an Investigation into the Tender Process Involving the Son of Shiv Sena Minister?

Mumbai, July 7 (NationPress) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared on Monday that a thorough investigation will be initiated regarding the tender process linked to the sale of Hotel VITS at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. This process involves the enterprise owned by Sanjay Shirsat, the state's Social Justice Minister, whose son Siddhant is at the center of the issue.

This declaration was made during a discussion prompted by a Calling Attention Motion raised by Leader of the Opposition Ambadas Danve concerning the now-aborted tender process for the hotel.

Danve raised concerns, stating, "A company that was established in 2024 was permitted to join the bidding. The valuation for the hotel bid was set at the 2018 rate, which was grossly undervalued. The collusion among the companies led to the approval of a tender from a company lacking the mandatory three years of ITR. Will there be any repercussions for the officials and the winning company?"

In response, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed that the tender process has been canceled.

"We had issued six tenders since 2018, but no companies showed interest. The hotel's value was determined based on the special MPID court's input," he added.

The VITS hotel belongs to Dhanada Corporation Limited, which is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

In 2016 and 2017, the company's assets, including this hotel, were seized. An auction was conducted to recover funds for shareholders.

Despite this, the minister noted that no bids were received in the six tender processes since 2018.

Danve pointed out that Siddhant Material Procurement and Supply secured the tender at a mere price of Rs 65 crore, whereas the hotel's current valuation is approximately Rs 150 crore.

He mentioned that the company’s owner is Siddhant Shirsat, the minister's son, whose 2024 election affidavit does not disclose any property belonging to him.

Opposition MLCs Anil Parab, Bhai Jagtap, and Shashikant Shinde joined Danve in demanding accountability from the government regarding both the officials and the company.

While Bawankule affirmed the cancellation of the tender process and assured that future procedures would be conducted with utmost diligence, the Opposition insisted on action against Minister Shirsat.

As the protests intensified, Minister Shirsat defended himself, stating, "The entire process was conducted under court directives. Every tender was issued following a court order, not by officials. There was no interest from any company in the six tender attempts," labeling all accusations as unfounded.

Amid ongoing protests, Chief Minister Fadnavis reiterated that the Revenue Minister confirmed the cancellation of the process.

"It is crucial for such cases to maintain transparency. Thus, a high-level investigation will be launched to determine if any irregularities occurred throughout the process," he concluded.