Maharashtra Forest Scandal Uncovered: Ghost Workers & Fund Diversion.

Maharashtra Forest Scandal: Tribal Wage Theft, Bogus Nurseries Exposed in Thane Department

A major financial scandal has surfaced in Maharashtra’s Social Forestry Department in Thane, where whistleblowers have exposed systematic corruption involving tribal wage theft, bogus nursery projects, and diversion of state welfare funds. Internal documents accessed by the Sprouts News SIT reveal fake labour rolls, ghost workers, and inflated project estimates that bypass the state’s employment guarantee schemes. The allegations raise potential violations under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the SC/ST Atrocities Act, prompting demands for immediate suspension of officials and a full investigation.

A major financial scandal rocks Maharashtra’s Social Forestry Department in Thane. Investigations reveal tribal wage manipulation, bogus nurseries, and fund diversion. An exclusive Sprouts News investigation.

A serious financial scandal is unfolding within Thane’s Social Forestry Department. Whistleblower reports allege systematic corruption and tribal wage theft. These actions reportedly bypass the state government’s employment guarantee scheme.

The Sprouts News Special Investigation Team has accessed internal documents. They reveal a pattern of financial irregularities and project manipulation. The scheme appears to deliberately sideline tribal communities for guaranteed work.

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The Tribal Wage Theft Scheme

The core allegation involves a sophisticated wage diversion scheme. Officials allegedly created fake labour rolls using non-tribal workers. This diverted funds meant specifically for tribal employment under state schemes.

Genuine tribal workers were systematically excluded from project sites. Their wages were then drawn in the names of bogus labourers. This constitutes a clear violation of the state’s tribal protection policies.

The scam exploited the state’s ‘Abhisaran Yojana’ and other welfare schemes. District Planning Office in Thane approved inflated estimates for urban works. This created a slush fund for unauthorized payments and ghost workers.

These actions potentially violate the Prevention of Corruption Act. They may also breach the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A formal investigation is now being demanded by internal sources.

Also Read: Girgaon Chokes: Construction Dust Triggers Health Emergency.

Bogus Nurseries and Substandard Plantation

The New Mumbai – Sheela Nursery stands at the centre of the scandal. Investigations reveal nurseries operated without scientific plantation techniques. Officials produced “extra plants” using the same allocated funds.

These extra plants were then sold privately for personal gain. The nursery board’s funds were allegedly misappropriated by staff. This represents a direct theft of public financial resources.

Substandard construction and repair works were approved across multiple sites. These include the Jewel Park site and Artist Colony in New Mumbai. The Belapur Parsik Hill site also received shoddy, poorly executed work.

Similar complaints emerged from Digha Turbhe Road and Pokhran in Thane. Pre-monsoon plantation drives were conducted with inferior quality saplings. Survival rates for these plantations are expected to be critically low.

This is a Clear cut case of naked dance of Systemic Corruption, Official Intimidation, Loot, Atrocities and state sponsored terrorism by Forest Dept.

A female officer faced harassment when she initiated a probe. She was investigating the New Mumbai – Sheela Nursery financial irregularities. This intimidation attempt highlights resistance to internal accountability.

Junior staff now fear retaliation for exposing the corruption network. They discuss senior officials’ personal expenses being covered illegally. These include private Wi-Fi bills and salaries for domestic staff.

One official’s child’s horse riding lessons were allegedly paid for departmentally. Such misuse of public funds has created a climate of fear. Junior employees feel pressured to remain silent about these activities.

The District Planning Officer is implicated in approving dubious projects. A 10% to 80% kickback culture is widely discussed among staff members. This points to a deeply entrenched, systemic corruption problem.

Demands for Action and Legal Accountability

Whistleblowers are demanding immediate suspensions of involved officers. They have filed official reports with the state’s Economic Offences Wing. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is also urged to investigate thoroughly.

Specific officers named include Forest Guard Sunil Lakshman Shinde. He allegedly colluded with senior officials to execute the schemes. Chief Conservator of Forests and District Planning Officer are also implicated.

Divisional Forest Officers Namrata Pawar and Rameshwari Pongale face scrutiny. Their roles in approving questionable expenditures are under review. The entire administrative chain is accused of ignoring procedural violations.

The scandal raises critical questions about forest department governance. It underscores the vulnerability of tribal welfare schemes to exploitation. Strong anti-corruption measures and transparent audits are now essential.

Public taxpayers’ money has been systematically misused and diverted. The state government must ensure a swift and impartial investigation. Only decisive action can restore public trust in the system.