Uddhav govt sends own Principal Secy on leave for letting Wadhawans' lockdown violation

Taking action against the violation of lockdown by DHFL promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan and their family, Maharashtra government has sent special Principal Secretary Amitabh Gupta on compulsory leave starting Friday. Informing about the decision, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that he spoke to CM Uddhav Thackeray and till the enquiry against him is complete he is sent on compulsory leave with immediate effect. Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against the DHFL promoters and their families in the Satara district's Wai.

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Days after citing coronavirus threat to skip Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation, the DHFL promoters violated the lockdown, Satara Superintendent of Police (SP) confirmed on Thursday. Satara's SP informed Republic World that 23 members of the Wadhawan family travelled to Mahabaleshwar. He added that the locals flagged authorities on their arrival. 

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However, the Wadhawans presented a letter from the Principal Secretary (Home) Amitabh Gupta in which he had said that he knows them well, and are travelling from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar for a 'family emergency'. The letter, signed on April 8, 2020, also listed five cars that the Wadhawans were travelling in, as per reports. 

READ | Wadhawan family violates Lockdown; 23 family members travel to Mahabaleshwar

ED probe on Wadhawans

Earlier, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that VVIP treatment was given to the Wadhawans by the Maharashtra government. The ED is probing into the loans offered by Yes Bank to DHFL allegedly through 80 shell companies. On February 21, a special court in Mumbai granted bail to Kapil Wadhawan, chairman and MD of Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) arrested in connection with the money laundering case also involving the late gangster Iqbal Mirchi. Wadhawan (46) was arrested on January 27 by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to the ED, Wadhawan was instrumental in the laundering of huge amounts of money as part of an illegal deal with Mirchi, who died in 2013 in London. 

READ | Dewan Housing Chairman Kapil Wadhawan Gets Bail In Mirchi Case