Mantralaya’s “Golden Gang” of Mumbai.

Unmesh Gujarathi
Editor in Chief

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This aptly describes the ‘Golden Gang’ that operates out of Mantralaya, the state Secretariat located in Mumbai, and the hallowed precincts of Vidhan Bhavan, the state Legislative Assembly. In an exclusive article (Golden Gang named ‘Mantralaya Ani Vidhimandal Vartahar Sangh, 31st July 2024), the Sprouts Special Investigative Team (SIT) had brought to light this cabal, which goes by the name ‘मंत्रालय आणि विधीमंडळ वार्ताहर संघ’-‘Ministerial and Legislature Correspondents’ Association’ (MVVS).

Not only is the MVVS an unauthorised entity – it is not registered with any statutory or government body – its sole agenda is to operate as a power centre for the financial gain of its members. So who exactly are they?

Some of the MVVS members are journalists working with reputed news media organisations, but many masquerade as journalists and have no links to the media at all. Regardless of their affiliations, or lack thereof, Sprouts has discovered that this syndicate has powerful patrons in the bureaucracy and political hierarchy. How else has this unofficial group been officially assigned an air-conditioned office with all the trappings, including a computer system and landline telephones? Those who have caller ID see calls made from these landlines originating from an association in the state Secretariat. Very ‘official’! Very clever!
Very illegal!

Also Read: “Builder Bullies” Illegal Lock Down, Wheel Locks On Parked Cars.

Believe it or not, the office is also equipped with a photocopy machine, a printer, a supply of newspapers, and office staff at their beck and call. The MVVS ‘office’ is located on the ground floor of Mantralaya, having usurped space allotted to the Secretariat’s Information Department!

With their power and influence going all the way to the top, the MVVS wields considerable clout within the Secretariat. Sprouts’ investigation has revealed that its members push files to be taken up by ministers and bureaucrats, at the behest of all kinds of individuals or organisations – for a handsome financial consideration, a fancy word for ‘bribe’. Wheeler-dealers in every kind of matter, they broker deals and barter information, all at a price.

And yet, incredibly, the MVVS is a completely illegal entity. Sprouts has information that the MVVS has made numerous attempts to register itself with the Charity Commissioner but its application has been rejected every single time. When an organisation registers itself with the Charity Commissioner, it must provide evidence of either self-owned office space, or documents to show that it has rented office space. MVVS has neither.

The General Administration Department, which holds administrative charge of the Secretariat, has repeatedly rejected MVVS’s application for a ‘Registered Office’. Worse, the MVVS all but flaunts its illegal nature. It has no constitution or by-laws, although elections to its Executive Committee are held at regular intervals. The Sprouts SIT has discovered that when a new committee takes charge, the Chief Minister invites them to his official residence, ‘Varsha’, where the office-bearers are felicitated!

What’s more, when the Chief Minister first arrives at Mantralaya after being sworn in, he visits the MVVS ‘office’ before proceeding to the CM’s office on the sixth floor! The practice is now a part of official tradition, lending further credibility and clout to this ‘Golden Gang’.

What’s in it for the Chief Minister, who occupies the highest position in the state government, and other politicians? MVVS members, through their connections with local media organisations across the state, are able to influence public opinion at the grassroots. They leverage this power to push the agenda of their political patrons.

Ironically, some MVVS members have made a clumsy attempt at creating a cover story for themselves, like the President of the ‘association’. Like some of the other members, he runs a shoddy website that gets barely 100 ‘views’ a month, posting a news story or two just to keep the site up and running. With many of the MVVS members unable to write four straight sentences in Marathi, no wonder these portals are a sham – just like the MVVS itself!

Unmesh Gujarathi
Editor in Chief
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