Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday attached assets worth over Rs 65 crore, including properties of a company linked to Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The action was taken in connection with a case related to Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) scam.
According to reports, properties including land, building, plant and machinery of Jarandeshwar Sahkari Sugar Karkhana (Jarandeshwar SSK) situated at Chimangaon, Koregaon, Satara district was attached by the central agency.
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The assets are currently held in the name of Guru Commodity Services Pvt. Ltd. and leased to Jarandeshwar Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd. "Sparkling Soil Pvt. Ltd. is holding majority shares of Jarandeshwar Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd. Investigations have revealed that Sparkling Soil Pvt. Ltd. is related company to Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of State of Maharashtra and Sunetra Ajit Pawar," a statement issued by the ED said.
Kirit Somaiya welcomes ED action
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has welcomed the ED's move and claimed that the factory was a benami property Ajit Pawar.
Somaiya, in a statement, said he has requested the central agency to investigate what he claimed was a dubious transaction related to another sugar mill involving Rohit Pawar, an NCP MLA and grandnephew of NCP president Sharad Pawar.
The former MP alleged MSCB money was 'looted' by the Pawar family to acquire sugar factories.
The MSCB case pertains to loans running into several thousand crore rupees obtained by sugar cooperatives, spinning mills and other entities from district and cooperative banks.
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The FIR, registered following a High Court order, had named Ajit Pawar and some 70 others.
As per the FIR, the state exchequer suffered losses of Rs 25,000 crore between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017 due to irregularities in the bank.
(With inputs from agencies)
