'Sharad Pawar Targeted Just Before Maharashtra Polls': Rahul Gandhi Defends NCP Chief

A late Thursday night communication from the police said prohibitory orders have also been imposed under the jurisdictions of Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Marine Drive, Dongri, Azad Maidan, J J Marg and MRA Marg police stations in South Mumbai.

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New Delhi:  Ahead of Sharad Pawar's visit to the Enforcement Directorate's office in Mumbai, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has come out in defence of the NCP chief who he believes is being "targeted by a vindictive government". Pawar is named in a money-laundering case by the ED in connection with a scam at Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank. Sharad Pawar is quite arguably the tallest leader in Maharashtra and is said to be the most networked politician across party lines. Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to question the timing of ED action just a month before Maharashtra polls. "Sharad Pawar Ji is the latest Opposition leader to be targeted by a vindictive Government. The timing of this action, a month before elections in Maharashtra, reeks of political opportunism," he tweeted. A large number of police personnel have been deployed and roads leading to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office at Ballard Pier of South Mumbai have been closed in view of Pawars visit, police said on Friday morning. Sharad Pawar, a  former Union minister in the UPA government has said he will visit the ED office at Ballard Pier in South Mumbai even though it has not summoned him yet. Elections in Maharashtra are to be held on October 21, whose results will be declared three days later. Sharad Pawar asks NCP workers to maintain peace "Honourable @PawarSpeaks Saheb will visit ED office at 2 pm. Workers will be present in big number in his support. "But the police started detaining workers since yesterday night. We are people who believe in law and order."This suppression is not right. Condemnation!" NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik tweeted. Anticipating similar protests on Friday, orders prohibiting movement of groups of people under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure have been imposed outside the ED office, a police official said on Thursday night.

आज आदरणीय @PawarSpeaks साहेब ईडी ऑफिसमध्ये दुपारी २ वाजता जाणार आहे. त्यांच्या समर्थनार्थ मोठ्या संख्येने कार्यकर्ते उपस्थित राहणार आहे. मात्र पोलिसांनी काल रात्रीपासूनच कार्यकर्त्यांची धरपकड सुरू केली आहे. आम्ही कायदा व सुव्यवस्था मानणारी लोकं आहोत. ही दडपशाही योग्य नाही. निषेध!

— Nawab Malik (@nawabmalikncp) September 27, 2019

A late Thursday night communication from the police said prohibitory orders have also been imposed under the jurisdictions of Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Marine Drive, Dongri, Azad Maidan, J J Marg and MRA Marg police stations in South Mumbai. Pawar has appealed to party workers not to gather outside the ED office. Some key routes in the area like S S Ram Ghulam Road, Karimbhoy Road and J N Hardiya Road have been closed for traffic, an official said. However, vehicles of VIPs and emergency services will be allowed on these roads, he said, adding parking has been prohibited in the area for the day. All precautionary measures have been taken to maintain law and order and avoid any untoward incident, the official said. The NCPs state office is situated near the ED premises and there is a possibility that a large number of party supporters may gather in the area, he said. Meanwhile, Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil and party general secretary Jitendra Awhad reached Pawar's residence here ahead of the veteran leader's visit to the ED office later in the day. The NCP patriarch has already said he would "voluntarily" visit the ED office and co-operate with the probe agency given his faith in the Constitution. What is the money-laundering case against Sharad Pawar?  The ED has filed the money-laundering case against Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar, a former deputy chief minister, and others in connection with the scam. The veteran leader has been maintaining he was not associated with the bank in any capacity and questioned the timing of the registration of the case which comes just weeks ahead of the October 21 Assembly polls in Maharashtra. An Enforcement Case Information Report, equivalent to a police FIR, has been registered by the central agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The case is based on a Mumbai Police FIR which had named former chairmen of the bank, Ajit Pawar, and 70 erstwhile functionaries of the cooperative lender. The NCP has termed the ED case as politically motivated. (With additional information from PTI)