Radheshyam Mopalwar was heading the department that is building the Mumbai-Nagpur expressway.

Highlights Officer caught on tape quoting 4 crores to facilitate housing project

Radheshyam Mopalwar sacked by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

He was heading department that's building Mumbai-Nagpur expressway

A senior Maharashtra officer caught on tape quoting a price of four crores to facilitate a housing project despite violations has been removed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.Radheshyam Mopalwar was heading the department that is building the Mumbai-Nagpur expressway, the Chief Minister's pet project.The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was removed after an audio clip said to be a phone conversation between him and a real estate agent was leaked and circulated.Mr Mopalwar can be heard saying that getting a Rs 15,000 crore housing project cleared in the mantralaya (state administration) would cost the builder "4 Crores"."He will have to give something in Mantralaya. Quote one crore to him...If he (builder) gives one or two (crore) in Mantralaya then he will get that (land)," the officer tells the agent, who does the math and asks if it all adds up to four crores.Mr Mopalwar is heard saying: "There two, here one. That's what it's like."He adds: "Here nobody will accept less than one crore."He advises that the builder can construct 50 flats, each of 1,000 square feet, and sell them for one crore each to make a neat profit of Rs 10 crore.

The tapes first aired by a local Marathi channel caused outrage in the Maharashtra assembly and two days of relentless disruptions.Targeted by the opposition, Mr Fadnavis today removed the officer. The audio clips have been sent for a forensic examination to verify their authenticity.