Cement Scam

Cement scam refers to the corrupt practices of the then Chief Minster of Maharashtra A R Antulay while allotting cement to certain builders in return of 'donations' by them to specified Trusts. A case filed against him in the Bombay High Court and he was held guilty because of which he had to resign on 12th January 1982.

In late 1970s there was a scarcity of cement and in order to address it the state government decided to ration its selling. A government order was issued on 12th September, 1978, directing that the sale and distribution of cement in the State would be controlled by the State Government and it would be sold throughout the State through authorised dealers of the Government only. Meanwhile, A R Antulay, registered a Trust by the name Indira Gandhi Pratibha Pratisthan (formed with the stated objective of supporting artists and designers) and out-of-turn permits of large quantities of cement were given to those builders who were depositing money in Antulay's Trusts as donation.

P.B.Samant, a Socialist leader from Goregaon, and Ramdas Nayak, a BJP corporator filed a case against him at the Bombay High Court and Justice Lentin on 12th January 1982 gave an order saying that it was a clear case of corruption, following which Antulay had to resign. Justice Lentin held that a nexus existed between the Chief Minister and the Builders and the donations made and the cement allotted to them had a relation thus holding Antulay for quid pro quo.

Some of the Builders who gave the money in order to get the cement were Raheja Developers, Amrut Builders, Hiranandani Builders, Makers Development Services, Bombay Builders, Evershine Builders, Nahar and Rizvi Developers.