Contractor manhandles director General of WALMI

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A contractor manhandled the director general of Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) and IAS officer Prakash Khaple (55) in a meeting organised regarding land acquisition for the National Highway, on Tuesday evening.

A case was registered against the contractor, Rajesh Chavan (Prakash Nagar), with Satara Police Station in this regard. Prakash Khaple, the Commissioner of Soil and Water Conservation Department, has been holding the additional charge of the post of Director General of WALMI since January 2025.

A meeting was going on in Khaple's office at 4.30 pm, on April 22, with other officers of the department regarding land acquisition for the national highway. Chavan entered the office and demanded the return of his Poclain in WALMI. He also demanded that the renovation contract of the department's guest house, which he had received, be allowed. Khaple informed Chavan that the contract had been cancelled and that he (the contractor) should return the advance payment of Rs 1.93 crore.

This led to an argument between them. Chavan got angry and started abusing him. He threatened that he would be punished for this and rushed towards him. Chavan's other colleagues caught him and took him out of the hall. After this, Khaple himself lodged a complaint against Chavan.

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What is the guest house dispute?

According to Chavan's claim, during the tenure of the then Director General V B  Nath, he had got the contract for the renovation of the guest house in WALMI through a tender. For this, he received Rs 1.93 crore as an advance payment. According to Khaple, the building of the said guest house is 50 years old. Therefore, its renovation is not financially affordable and the appointed committee submitted a report to the Government about this.

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Both accused of embezzlement

The department has lodged a complaint with the Satara Police, accusing the then DG  V B Nath and contractor Chavan of embezzling Rs 1.93 crore in the guesthouse case itself. The Satara police said that the investigation is underway.