Mumbai: 9 Nationalist Congress Celebration (NCP) leaders had been sworn in as Cupboard ministers in Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis authorities Sunday. Of those, at the least three — Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif — are going through a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in circumstances linked to cash laundering.
Addressing the media in Pune, NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar stated, “Solely these accused by (PM) Modi (of corruption) took oath (immediately).”
Earlier within the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay Raut too alleged that those that joined the Shinde-Fadnavis authorities had been afraid of being despatched to jail.
Reacting to the developments, Congress common secretary answerable for communications Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter that the “the BJP’s Washing Machine has resumed its operations”.
Clearly the BJP’s Washing Machine has resumed its operations. Quite a lot of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra immediately had been going through critical corruption prices with ED, CBI and Earnings Tax authorities after them. Now they’ve all received a clear chit.
The Congress…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 2, 2023
Of the brand new inductees, Ajit Pawar, now deputy chief minister together with Fadnavis, faces a number of circumstances together with a probe by Maharashtra Police’s Financial Offences Wing (EoW) into alleged irregularities in loans sanctioned by Maharashtra State Cooperative Financial institution.
Quickly after the EoW launched a probe into the fees, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) additionally filed a case in reference to the alleged rip-off.
Nevertheless, citing lack of proof, the EOW filed a closure report earlier than a particular court docket in September 2020.
With Eknath Shinde’s revolt in 2022 which introduced down the MVA authorities, the EOW initiated the probe once more in October the identical 12 months however no chargesheet had been filed but.
The ED filed a chargesheet in April this 12 months however Pawar’s identify doesn’t seem in it as an accused although he hasn’t been given a clear chit both.
One other case towards Ajit Pawar dates again to when he was the water sources minister within the Congress-NCP authorities (2008-2014) and chairman of the Vidarbha Irrigation Growth Scheme.
The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) started investigating allegations of irregularities in allotment of irritation initiatives. Nevertheless, a day after Pawar prolonged help to BJP’s Fadnavis within the aftermath of the 2019 meeting elections, the ACB submitted a report within the Bombay Excessive Courtroom, giving him a clear chit. Whereas the report is but to be accepted by the excessive court docket, BJP leaders have been demanding a re-investigation into the matter.
Aside from Pawar, NCP leaders Hassan Mushrif and Chhagan Bhujbal have additionally confronted graft allegations whereas Dhananjay Munde had a sexual harassment grievance towards him. The one lady minister now, Aditi Tatkare could have steered away from controversy, however her father, Sunil Tatkare’s identify had come up within the alleged irritation rip-off.
Additionally learn: 1 yr of Shinde-Fadnavis govt: Infra push, populist strikes, Uddhav-bashing & a 2-man present with rifts
‘Motivated conspiracy’
Hasan Mushrif, NCP chief from Kolhapur, additionally had a brush with investigating businesses not too way back.
In March this 12 months, the ED searched his residence in Mumbai in reference to alleged irregularities within the functioning of Sar Senapati Santaji Ghorpade Sugar Manufacturing facility Ltd and companies linked to his household. He had then referred to as it a “deliberate try” to implicate him.
Mushrif sought a pre-arrest bail and in his utility, claimed that he was summoned for questioning — ‘regardless of lack of any incriminating materials towards him’ — many occasions as predicted by BJP chief and former MP Kirit Somaiya in tweets and press conferences.
The ED investigation was “nothing however the results of a motivated conspiracy, indicating clear mala fides in order to negatively have an effect on the ever-rising political profession of the applicant,” Mushrif claimed within the utility.
However his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the particular court docket in April. Following that, he approached the Bombay Excessive Courtroom which final week prolonged the safety from arrest granted to him until 11 July.
One other distinguished NCP chief who joined the Shinde-Fadnavis authorities was Chhagan Bhujbal.
The ACB had filed a case in 2015 towards Bhujbal and 16 others within the Bombay Excessive Courtroom over alleged irregularities in awarding of contracts of over Rs 100 crore for 3 initiatives when Bhujbal was the state PWD minister in 2006.
The case dates again to 2005 when the state authorities issued a contract for the development of a brand new Maharashtra Sadan constructing in Delhi, allegedly with out inviting tenders, to Ok.S. Chamankar Enterprises. The general public non-public partnership contract — which additionally included the development of a brand new Regional Transport Workplace constructing in Andheri and a state visitor home in Malabar Hill — fell inside Bhujbal’s ambit.
The case led to Bhujbal being in jail for 2 years. He nonetheless faces legal prices for alleged irregularities within the building of a library in Kalina and offences the ED has alleged based mostly on ACB circumstances.
Aditi Tatkare, one other new minister within the Shinde-Fadnavis authorities, can also be not new to controversy together with her personal father, Sunil Tatkare, embroiled within the multi-crore irrigation rip-off together with Ajit Pawar. The ACB had named him within the cost sheet however not as an accused.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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