‘Jijau’ Name Misused in ₹600 Cr Road Scam
• Corrupt Nilesh Sambare’s ₹600 Cr Mess Exposed
• Danger Roads, Deadly Silence
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) uncovers a ₹600 crore road scam involving corrupt contractor Nilesh Sambare, accused of misusing the revered name ‘Jijau’ for corrupt construction deals. Former Minister Kapil Patil has demanded blacklisting and a criminal probe, citing incomplete roads, fraudulent tenders, and dangerous public infrastructure across Wada and Shahapur.
Contents
- ‘Jijau’ Name Misused in ₹600 Cr Road Scam
- Ex-Minister Demands Probe Against Contractor Sambare
- Deadly Roads, Missing Accountability: A Public Safety Disaster
- No Bid Capacity, Still Qualified: Tender Manipulation Alleged
- Letter Confirms Minister Promised Blacklisting; Action Still Pending
- Also Read: Crypto Scam Sparks Intense Legal Showdown in Bombay HC.
- ₹137 Crore Sanctioned Without Basis? Whose Pockets Did It Fill?
- Shahapur-Murbad Road a Death Trap; Local Leaders Silent
- Sprouts SIT Calls for Criminal Investigation and Blacklisting
Ex-Minister Demands Probe Against Contractor Sambare
Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) Exposes Road Tender Corruption and State Negligence
In a scathing attack during a press conference, former Union Minister of State Kapil Patil has alleged that notorious contractor Nilesh Sambare is misusing the revered name of ‘Jijau’, the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, for his corrupt contracting empire.
Patil questioned how a construction company, bearing the name “Jijau”, could be allowed to operate despite a trail of incomplete, substandard, and life-threatening infrastructure projects across Wada, Manor, Shahapur, and Murbad in Maharashtra.
Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has verified that despite receiving government tenders under key schemes like the Gramin Sadak Yojana and the Chief Minister Rural Road Scheme, several roads remain incomplete even after six years.
Deadly Roads, Missing Accountability: A Public Safety Disaster
Local residents in Shahapur and Wada have suffered repeated accidents due to dangerously dug-up and abandoned roads. Multiple fatalities and cases of permanent disability have been reported. In some areas, the roads have turned into death traps, according to ground reports received by Sprouts SIT.
Shockingly, the same contractor—Jijau Constructions—has been awarded pothole repair work on the same unsafe roads. “This is not just negligence, it’s a cruel mockery of public suffering,” a local activist told Sprouts News.
No Bid Capacity, Still Qualified: Tender Manipulation Alleged
According to documents reviewed by Sprouts SIT, the contractor lacked the required bid capacity for large-scale tenders like the Wada-Manor road. Despite this, government engineers—including Executive and Superintending Engineers—allegedly allowed qualification. Instead of being blacklisted for non-performance, Corrupt Sambare’s firm was rewarded with fresh work orders.
Former Minister Kapil Patil raised a pointed question: “If ₹600 crore was already sanctioned for these roads, why were ₹137 crore more allocated for pothole repair on the same incomplete roads?”
Letter Confirms Minister Promised Blacklisting; Action Still Pending
In a recent protest led by Swaraj Jeevi Sanghatana, the Palghar District Collector issued a letter acknowledging that the current Public Works Minister has agreed to act on earlier assurances given in the Assembly—specifically, the blacklisting of Jijau Constructions.
Sprouts SIT has obtained a copy of this letter, which confirms that action was recommended after a question raised in the Assembly by the then PWD Minister. However, on-ground progress remains absent.
Also Read: Crypto Scam Sparks Intense Legal Showdown in Bombay HC.
₹137 Crore Sanctioned Without Basis? Whose Pockets Did It Fill?
Despite the original project being incomplete, a fresh ₹137 crore sanction was approved—raising serious questions about misappropriation. Patil alleged that this money has likely vanished into corrupt hands, and called for a government probe into the eligibility manipulation and financial irregularities involved in awarding tenders to corrupt Sambare’s firm.
He further urged that the “Jijau” name be removed from the construction company, citing moral and cultural insult. “The name of Jijamata, the nation’s mother, should not be used to whitewash criminal incompetence and corruption,” Patil emphasized.
Shahapur-Murbad Road a Death Trap; Local Leaders Silent
The Shahapur–Sapagao–Murbad road has been left half-finished, with dangerous stretches causing numerous accidents. Despite widespread public outcry, no formal complaints have been filed with the government by local MLAs Dawlat Daroda (Shahapur) and Kisan Kathore (Murbad), according to Patil.
Sprouts SIT has confirmed from RTI records that no grievance or inspection reports have been filed against Jijau Constructions for these areas—despite overwhelming evidence of malpractice.
Sprouts SIT Calls for Criminal Investigation and Blacklisting
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) urges the Maharashtra Government to initiate a criminal inquiry into:
•Alleged bid rigging and capacity fraud
•The unexplained sanction of ₹137 crore
•Systemic failure of engineers and tender committees
•Moral misuse of the “Jijau” name for public contracts
In a state where Jijamata is worshipped, allowing her name to be hijacked for profit is a public betrayal. Kapil Patil’s exposé, backed by grassroots protest and official letters, demands urgent executive and judicial intervention.
The Sprouts SIT will continue to follow this case and highlight similar examples of construction fraud and government apathy across Maharashtra.
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