Anna vindicated
retribution caught up with former Maharashtra minister Baban Gholap when officials of Maharashtra's anti-corruption cell raided numerous residential premises and a farmhouse owned by him on July 1. Just a year ago, noted Gandhian and social activist Anna Hazare had levelled corruption charges against Gholap. At that time, the minister filed defamation charges against Hazare and put him behind bars.
The raids were simultaneously carried out at the Devlaligaon chawl belonging to Gholap's mother-in-law, Muktabai Bankar, his new apartment at "Shivsphurti' on the Nasik-Devlali Camp road and his office in the same apartment. The raids followed a public interest litigation ( pil ) filed in the Bombay High Court by lawyer-activist Jannardhan during Gholap's tenure as minister. The pil alleged that Gholap had amassed wealth disproportionate to his income. Besides, Jannardhan also expressed concern that since Gholap was a minister at the time of filing the case, he was in a position to influence the investigating agencies. Two months ago, Gholap resigned following instructions from his own party, the Shiv Sena.
According to Pradeep Munut, a Pune-based journalist, Gholap's wife said the raids were a violation of human rights as they were carried out without informing the owner of the properties. Gholap himself was not available for comment. The investigating agency officials also refused to reveal the outcome of the raids.
Last year, when Hazare accused Gholap of corruption, the latter took Hazare to court. But Hazare could not