Sanjay Raut alleges Rs. 350 crore scam in Ahilyanagar, targets state government over widespread corruption

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 16 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has put serious allegations of corruption amounting to ₹350 crore in the Ahilyanagar Municipal Corporation, naming local MLA Sangram Jagtap and accusing the state government of turning a blind eye to massive irregularities in various municipal bodies across Maharashtra.
Raut claimed that in areas where the government has not conducted elections or has no intention of doing so, administrative officers have been appointed, and large-scale corruption of public funds is underway. He alleged that cities like Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Nagpur, and Mira-Bhayander are witnessing multi-crore scams, citing an instance in Mira-Bhayander where a garbage bin was purchased for ₹70,000 and asked if the bin has gold studded on it.
He also said that city chief Kiran Kale has submitted multiple complaints to the Chief Minister and the Anti-Corruption Department regarding the corruption in Ahilyanagar. Raut added that Rs. 350 crores were spent on the construction of 776 roads in Ahilyanagar, which are nowhere to be found.
He alleged that elected representatives, the administration, and contractors are collectively misusing the funds of the municipal corporation. Raut criticised Sangram Jagtap, accusing him of pretending to be a Hindutva leader by wearing a tilak and saffron attire, calling it a mere show.
Raut said he has handed over a file containing proof of these scams to the Chief Minister and warned that if no action is taken, the party will not remain silent. He emphasised that the issue is related to public safety and described it as a form of "urban Naxalism" .
Raut also pointed out that such corruption is not isolated to one city and is spread across 27 municipal corporations in the state. He accused the state government, led by Devendra Fadnavis, of remaining silent on such acts of corruption.
Raut said that Rs. 350 crore is spent on road development, and the roads are nowhere to be found. He alleged that in collaboration with contractors, scams involving the Samruddhi Expressway, Adarsh University Highway, and materials like sand and tar have taken place.
Responding to a government advertisement published in the Saamana newspaper, Raut clarified that it was a government-issued ad, not attributed to any individual minister, and stated that Narayan Rane has no personal authority over it. He reiterated that Shiv Sena (UBT)'s fight is against corrupt rulers and groups, and that the party knows how to take on the government.
On being questioned about Raj Thackeray, Raut said there is no reason why one brother should not stand with another and said that Raj Thackeray is currently with them and that Uddhav Thackeray has clarified the party's position in a recent interview. He urged the media to wait for the municipal election results instead of repeatedly asking questions, and referred to Raj Thackeray's recent post on X.
Raut also criticised Shambhuraj Desai for allegedly using public funds to construct a memorial for his father. He acknowledged the contribution of Balasaheb Desai as a respected Marathi leader but questioned the use of government money for the memorial. He said that if someone wants to build a memorial, it should be funded personally and not with public resources.
Raut also spoke about Anandraj Ambedkar, stating that before the Lok Sabha elections, Ambedkar had expressed his desire to join the Maha Vikas Aghadi and had clearly said he wanted no association with the BJP. However, Raut admitted that he is not aware of Ambedkar's current position, although he is now seen with the Shinde faction.