Nagpur: In a dramatic protest on Thursday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers created chaos at the former office of the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) by storming into the premises and blackening the face of Suresh Chavan, an architectural engineering assistant, over alleged corruption charges.

The protestors accused Chavan of demanding bribes for lease approvals and issuing demand notes. According to MNS leaders, Chavan has faced corruption allegations since his appointment at NIT in 2014. He is allegedly involved in demanding ₹25,000 for lease approvals and as much as ₹12 lakh for issuing demand notes.

In 2023, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande had led a similar anti-corruption protest at the NIT office, during which officials were reportedly handed documentary evidence against Chavan and other staffers. Following this, Chavan was transferred to the South Nagpur department. However, despite an ongoing departmental inquiry, he was recently reinstated to the East Nagpur division, sparking renewed outrage among MNS members.

On Thursday, MNS workers not only smeared black ink on Chavan’s face but also garlanded him with footwear in a symbolic act of protest. The incident was accompanied by loud sloganeering against the NIT administration, which MNS claims is protecting corrupt officials.

The protest has once again brought NIT’s internal affairs under scrutiny, with demands growing for stricter action against tainted employees. Police presence was later deployed to control the situation.