The BJP link is the allotment of a flat to an unlikely member -- 50-year-old Sudhakar Madke -- who is a driver with Nagpur-based construction firm SMS Infrastructure Private Limited. While Madke got the flat apparently on the basis of a "low income" certificate, he is seen as Sancheti's proxy.
Ajay Sancheti is the managing director of SMS which has interests in building highways, rail projects, dams, power infrastructure and also coal mining. Sancheti's proximity to Gadkari is well known. Many feel that he had an important role in facilitating a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-BJP government in Ranchi -- something that has been vehemently denied by the party.
While Madke met the society's conditions of a Rs 12,500 monthly income limit, he managed to pay Rs 60 lakh while earning a monthly salary of Rs 8,600 a month. The market value of the property is at least Rs 5 crore at current rates. Madke's name appears in the membership list of Adarsh society along with his employers Abhay, Ajay and Anand Sancheti.
The Sancheti connection does not end here. Paramveer, son of Abhay Sancheti, chairman of SMS Infrastructure, also owns a flat in the controversial society. Abhay Sancheti is the cousin of Ajay Sancheti's father Shaktikumar Sancheti.
Anand is the joint managing director of the firm. The Sanchetis managed a joint holding with Madke after their original application was rejected by the Mumbai district collector I A Kundan as their salaries were far higher than the stipulated limit og Rs 12,500 per month.
In 2007 Paramveer Sancheti applied for a flat in the society. His name was rejected by Kundan in July 2008 who cited rules about an applicant's income being decided on the basis of the entire family income over a three-year period. However, Paramveer managed to become a member in mid-2009. It's not known why and how his application was accepted.
When contacted, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said he was travelling in Bihar and was not aware of the case.
Efforts to contact Nitin Gadkari, who was in the city, remained unsuccessful. The first call was picked up by one of his personal assistants who told TOI that Gadkari was busy in a family function and would call back later. However, further attempts to contact Gadkari proved futile even after sending an SMS.
On Paramveer, Ajay Sancheti said, "He is still a student and is pursuing higher education in UK. He does not hold any post in the company."
Ajay Sancheti also claimed he did not know the details of his driver's investment. "I have so many employees that I cannot recall this driver's case," he said.
He said he did not remember whether he had applied for a flat. "It had happened years ago, I really don't remember anything," said Sancheti.
Ajay Sancheti said his company had disbursed loans to other employees too if they offered some collateral. "It is done on case-to-case basis and certain procedures are followed. I can't tell you the details as my office is closed till Monday," he said.
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