In February 2012, the Chief Engineer Vijay Pandhare, wrote a letter to the state's Governor, the Chief Minister and the Irrigation Department's principal secretary, complaining about rampant corruption in the department.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Vinod Tawde alleged that 5-7% of the total tender cost was paid in kickbacks to a person named "M" (allegedly Ajit Pawar).