MUMBAI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded action against opposition leader in the Maharashtra legislative council Pravin Darekar for falsely claiming to be a labourer and for perpetrating a fraud.
“The January 3 order of the divisional co-registrar, co-operative societies states Darekar had cheated the government and the Mumbai co-operative bank by pretending to be a labourer while serving as a legislator. In his affidavit submitted in 2016, he has clearly stated he is a businessman,” said AAP state secretary Dhananjay Shinde at a press conference at the party office in Mumbai on Monday.
He said Darekar has been an MLA since 2009 and as an elected representative and Opposition leader receives several benefits such as an honorarium of Rs 2.5 lakh per month and cannot under any possibility be categorised as a labourer making his membership with the co-operative society illegitimate.
Darekar had recently contested the elections of the Maharashtra District Co-operative Bank under the labour category through the labour organisation Pratigya Mazoor Sahakari Sanstha.
"The MVA government must order for a case to be filed against Darekar under sections 199, 200, 406, 409, 417, 420, 465, 468 and 120(b) of the criminal code. Darekar's illegal involvement in the Pratigya Mazoor Sahakari Sanstha must also be thoroughly investigated to uncover any possible foul play," said Shinde.
