MLA Ameet Satam inaugurates the recycling plant in this file photo.

MUMBAI: An audio clip purportedly containing a conversation between BJP MLA Ameet Satam and a BMC engineer in which the former abuses and threatens the official went viral on Whatsapp on Thursday.

While Satam who represents BJP from Andheri West , chose to call it a "doctored tape", a BMC engineers union representative said such behaviour from a public representative was unacceptable.

The clip which was initially shared on Whatsapp groups of BMC officials, reached citizen groups, activists and media soon afterwards. A civic source said the recording was a few months old.

In the audio, the man alleged to be Satam is heard using the filthiest of abuses while speaking to the official, asking him for the whereabouts of a colleague who had not responded to his calls and messages. Questioning the temerity of the officer, he declares that even the municipal commissioner did not fail to return his calls.

When contacted, the MLA who was once a corporator, said the tape was a "ploy" to malign his image in the wake of allegations he had made about a Rs 50,000 crore scam in the BMC's building proposal department. "This is being orchestrated by an officer who used to run this racket," he said, adding that the enquiry into the scam exposed by him had reached a decisive stage and hence attempts were being made to spread "doctored tapes to malign me."

Sainath Rajdhyaksha of the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Engineering Union said the tape revealed the pressures faced by civic engineers in the city. "This is unacceptable as such instances will only make it difficult for engineers to work, " he said.

Sukhdev Kashid, president, Municipal Engineers Association said it being an old recording they were yet to decide on the course of action. A citizen activist said the audio had reached their residents group as well. "Even if the engineer is at fault this is no way to speak to him. The MLA only appears to be taking undue advantage of his position," said King circle activist Nikhil Desai.

Satam was in a controversy in September last year too when Juhu police had received a written complaint from hawkers, alleging that Satam's men had threatened them and asked for bribes to allow them to run their stalls near Mithibai College. The complaint by eight hawkers from the locality said for the last one week two men had regularly visited their stalls and threatened to evict them unless they met the MLA's demands.

