Gulabrao Deokar, a former Maharashtra minister, has been convicted in the Jalgaon housing scam (File photo)

NASHIK: Two former ministers and political heavyweights from North Maharasthra, Suresh Jain and Gulabrao Deokar , were convicted along with 46 others on Saturday for a multi-crore housing scam in Jalgaon.

Dhule special district and sessions court judge Dr Shrushti Nilkanth sentenced Jain to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore on him for his role in the scam. Deokar was awarded a five-year prison term and a fine of Rs 5 lakh.

The other convicts include two builders, a chief officer of Jalgaon municipal council (JMC), nine past council presidents, three mayors and a sitting MLA. All accused were detained by Jalgaon police after their conviction.

The court sentenced former mayor of JMC Pradeep Raisoni to seven years in prison and fined him Rs 10 lakh. Chief officer of JMC P D Kale was sentenced to five years' imprisonment and fined Rs 5 lakh. Sitting MLA Chandrakant Sonawane was sentenced to five years in jail and fined of Rs 5 lakh. He will now have to resign from his membership of the state assembly and will also lose the pension . The builders were awarded seven years' imprisonment and fine of Rs 40 crore eac h.

The scam dates back to 1999, when the JMC floated a tender to construct 11,424 affordable tenements in Jalgaon city for slumdwellers. This was done though the civic body did not have most of the land in its ownership. Over time, it was found that tender conditions were altered to ensure builders connected to Jain got the contract and money was disbursed prior to commencement of work.

