As Maharashtra has been facing the toughest of the times amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the Wadhawans are busy partying. Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, promoters of the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) were holidaying along with 21 others. They were detained from ‘Mahabaleshwar’.
“The 23 persons were detained and then placed under quarantine at a government hospital. They did not have any valid permission for travel“, said Satara SP Tejaswini Satpute. Interestingly the businessmen used their source of influence to get permission. The Principal Secretary (Special) in the Home Department Amitabh Gupta, signed a letter allowing them to ‘Holiday’.
Gupta has been sent on leave after the news surfaced. An inquiry is going on the matter. The news of Wadhawans holidaying came out when locals spotted their vehicles in the area. The businessmen and family were staying in guest houses in Khandal since last month. When the government tightened the lockdown the guest house owner asked them to leave.
To move out to ‘ Mahabaleshwar’ they got signed permission from Gupta. The letter issued on 8th April allowed them to travel in five vehicles from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray was briefed by Maharashtra Directorate General of Police about the matter. FIR against all 23 including Wadhawans under section 188 of Indian Penal Code along with other relevant sections has been filed.
