A tax reduction scam brewing in the Property Tax Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation was exposed by MLC and former Mayor Pravin Datke during the General Body Meeting of the civic body held on Thursday. The scam was being perpetrated by NMC employees, who would reduce property tax in Dhantoli and Hanuman Nagar among other zones in the city.

The Deputy Municipal Commissioner Milind Meshram informed the NMC general body that NMC has filed a complaint with Cyber Cell of city police and also suspended two employees of Tax Departments from Gandhibagh and Hanuman Nagar zones – Sanjay Khadgi and Gaurishankar Rahate.

While exposing the scam, Datke claimed how Khadgi’s login and password was used to reduce Rs 2.30 lakh Property Tax of a commercial establishment under Dhantoli Zone to Rs 70,000. However, Khadgi was posted in Gandhibagh Zone. Khadgi had allegedly reduced the assessed tax even though the property owner had approached the High Court against NMC.

Similarly, Rahate, too was involved in a similar scam, said Datke. Similar misappropriation was also unearthed in Dharampeth and Laxmi Nagar zones through user IDs and passwords of employees of other zones.

The Deputy Municipal Commissioner Meshram informed the House that after the Property Tax Department learnt about the misuse of user IDs and passwords for reducing assessed taxes, the NMC’s Property Tax Department approached the Cyber Cell of Nagpur police and filed a complaint in this regard. Besides this, the department has also suspended Rahate and Khadgi in the case.