Sanjay Katare with Manoj Jarange
Sanjay Katare with Manoj Jarange Sanjay Katare with Manoj Jarange Sanjay Katare with Manoj Jarange Sanjay Katare with Manoj Jarange Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A penalty of Rs4.90 crore that was imposed on Sanjay Nanasaheb Katare, a member of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange’s core committee, for alleged illegal sand excavation from the Godavari riverbed in Jalna district has been reinstated by the Ambad sub-divisional officer. Ambad SDO Umakant Pardhi, in an order issued on Sept 21, cancelled the earlier order of the then tehsildar that had excluded Katare from the penalty proceedings and directed recovery of Rs4,90,72,200 as arrears of land revenue. A penalty was imposed on 18 people on April 16, 2023 over the alleged illegal excavation of 2,000 brass of sand from Godavari riverbed at Sashtpimpalgaon and Domalgaon in Ambad taluka. The earlier decision to exclude Katare has been cancelled and the liability of Rs4.9 crore on Gat No, according to the SDO’s latest order. 262 has been restored.
The penalty was revoked within months of imposing it. Following an objection by Katare, the then tehsildar subsequently ordered his name removed from the penalty proceedings. The matter came under scrutiny after a complaint by Ajay Maharaj Baraskar to the state revenue minister. Following the complaint, Jalna district collector Ashima Mittal ordered an inquiry by the SDO. The inquiry also recorded observations regarding the role of the then tehsildar and officials associated with the minor minerals branch in the decision to exclude Katare from the penalty.
Stay updated with the latest Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar news. Pardhi has directed that a proposal seeking disciplinary action against the then tehsildar and the concerned employees be submitted to the district collector. The development comes days after Jarange’s agitation at Antarwali Sarati over the Maratha reservation issue, which had put pressure on the state government ahead of the Ganesh festival. Katare is among the members of Jarange’s core committee and has often been caught on camera during Jarange’s travel and other movements across Maharashtra. Katare could not be reached for his comments on the issue, while those close to him, unanimously maintained that Katare was already seeking legal opinion on the issue. Download the TOI App.