Huge Relief For Maharashtra Dy CM: Police Give Ajit Pawar, 69 Others Clean Chit In Alleged MSCB Fraud

Last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a case of money laundering against veteran leader and NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar.

Ajit Pawar (FB account)

Maharashtra State Co-operative (MSC) Bank fraud: The Mumbai Police has given Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 69 others accused in the alleged alleged ₹25,000-crore Maharashtra State Co-operative (MSC) Bank fraud. The economic offences wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police on Thursday filed a closure report in the case in which the police filed a C summary in the special anti-corruption bureau (ACB) court after EOW’s special investigation team (SIT) found no criminal aspect to be investigated in the case. The police complaint had named 76 people accused in the case including the political leaders from the state. Last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a case of money laundering against veteran leader and NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar while starting an initial probe. It also named former chairman of the bank and former functionaries of the cooperative bank. According to police there was not enough evidence to prosecute the accused. The Bombay High Court had directed the EOW to file the FIR, which also named minister Jayant Patil. It was alleged that the group’s actions caused a loss of Rs 25,000 crore to the government. The Enforcement Directorate had recorded the statements of Ajit Pawar and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, during the erstwhile BJP government’s rule in the state. The police has sent a closure copy to the investigation agency too. However, the ED opposed the closure report in the court on Monday. The EOW had filed a first information report (FIR) in the case in August 2019 on the direction of the Bombay high court, which was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Andheri-based social activist Surinder Arora. The activist had alleged police inaction into the fraud. The case has been filed under sections 406, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, section 13 (a)(b)(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 29 of Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act. The complaint was related to massive loan obtained by sugar cooperatives, spinning mills and other processing units from district and cooperative banks.