MUMBAI, Sept 9: Popular stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma today alleged that he was asked to pay Rs 5 lakh bribe by a BMC official for his office and tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweets, asking if this was the “achche din” he had promised, even as the civic body claimed the actor had been served a notice for “illegal construction”.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was quick to respond to Sharma’s angst and assured him that strict action would be taken against the culprit.
“I am paying 15 cr income tax from last 5 year n still i have to pay 5 lacs bribe to BMC office for making my office @narendramodi (sic),” Kapil tweeted this morning while expressing his anguish and raising the issue of corruption.
“Yeh hain aapke achhe din? @narendramodi (are these your good days),” he sought to know in another tweet, referring to Modi’s 2014 poll slogan of “good days are ahead”.
The post of Sharma, who has over 6.22 million followers on Twitter, was ‘retweeted’ and ‘liked’ by thousands on the social media platform.
Taking cognisance of the matter, Fadnavis requested Sharma to provide the authorities with necessary information to punish the culprit.
“Kapilbhai pls provide all info. Have directed MC, BMC to take strictest action. We will not spare the culprit,” the Chief Minister said in a tweet.
Later, Sharma thanked Fadnavis in another tweet saying, “@Dev_Fadnavis thank u so much for ur concern sir.. Would like to come n discuss this matter with u in person ..”
However, a senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official claimed that the actor had made some “illegal construction” at his office in Versova area of suburban Mumbai and had been served a notice regarding the same, but he did not pay heed to it. “Kapil was then sent a notice by BMC on July 16 to stop or remove the construction, but he didn’t reply to it,” he said.
BMC also asked Sharma to reveal the name of the officer who allegedly demanded the bribe. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ram Kadam filed a complaint with the cyber cell of Mumbai police alleging that Sharma, by keeping mum on the “bribe” demand, did not “discharge his duty as a citizen”, and demanded a free and fair inquiry into the entire issue.
Manohar Pawar, chief engineer of vigilance department in BMC, said, “I have requested Kapil Sharma to reveal the name of the officer who demanded bribe so that we can initiate inquiry and appropriate action against him or her.” (PTI)
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