Those in glass houses do not pelt stones at others’ homes: Shinde slams Raut over ‘ambulance scam’

Mumbai, Jul 26 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday hit back at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut for linking him and his son Shrikant Shinde to an “ambulance scam”, saying those living in glass houses do not pelt stones at others’ homes.

Talking to reporters here, Shinde targeted the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) and said those stuck in the “Mithi river silt scam”, the ones who indulged in “corruption” while building roads and the people involved in “khichdi scam” were lecturing him.

The alleged scams referred to by Shinde concern works carried out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which the undivided Shiv Sena had controlled for over two decades before it split in 2022.

“Those who reside in glass houses do not throw stones at others’ homes. We are clean. People of Mumbai have seen them (Sena UBT) and they have looted Mumbai for 25 years. It is unfortunate that they are levelling charges against us,” he said.

Raut on Friday accused the Maharashtra government of committing an “ambulance scam” of Rs 800 crore, claiming that the money involved was diverted to a foundation run by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde.

The contract to procure ambulances worth Rs 800 crore was awarded to Sumeet Facilities Limited. Its actual cost was Rs 100 crore, but the amount was inflated, Raut had claimed.

“This is the biggest scam in medical history. Amit Salunke of Summit Facilities is the financial backbone of the Shrikant Shinde Foundation. The money was diverted to the foundation. A team of (Anti-Corruption Bureau) Jharkhand came to Maharashtra and arrested Amit Salunke on Thursday in a liquor scam there. He is a very close aide of Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde," Raut had claimed.

Whatever happened in Jharkhand will be probed by that government, Shinde said on Saturday.

Summit Salunke, vice chairman of Sumeet Group Enterprises, termed Raut’s allegations baseless. He said neither Amit Salunke, his family, nor Sumeet Facilities Limited has any political links.

“The PIL against the '108' Ambulance project was rightly dismissed by the Bombay High Court, which upheld the fairness of the tender process,” Summit claimed. PTI PR NR