MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday attached assets worth Rs 50 crore of a sugar mill owned by NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar‘s company Baramati Agro Ltd.
This seizure is part of the ongoing investigation into the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam. The seized assets include 161.30 acres of land, plant & machinery, and the building of the sugar unit in Kannad, Aurangabad. The seizure is followed after the ED questioned NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar‘s grandnephew Rohit Pawar.
The EOW’s FIR serves as the basis for the ED’s investigation. In 2023, the ED filed its first chargesheet in the case against Jarandeshwar Sugar Mills, which is linked to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The chargesheet mentioned Ajit Pawar’s association with the company but did not name him as an accused. Subsequently, the ED filed a supplementary chargesheet which included the name of NCP MLA Prajakt Tanpure, among others.
Recently, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the police also filed its second closure report in last three years. In 2020, the EOW had filed its initial closure report in the MSCB scam, giving clean chit to Ajit Pawar and other senior politicians, including Rohit Pawar. However, in 2022, the EOW filed an application to reopen the case, stating the need for further investigation into suspicious deals involving the Pawar family and other transactions. But on January , the EOW submitted a closure report for the second time.
On January 24, the ED interrogated Rohit Pawar for 11 hours regarding the purchase of the sick sugar mill, Kannad SSK Aurangabad, through his company Baramati Agro Pvt Ltd in an auction conducted by MSCB.
At the time of the first closure report, Ajit Pawar was deputy CM in the MVA government, whereas at time of EOW’s application for seeking permission for further investigation, he was leader of opposition in the Eknath Shinde-led government. Ajit Pawar subsequently along with his party MLAs joined the Shinde government and is currently deputy CM.
The Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) comprises 31 district central co-operative banks, mostly headed by politicians and named after their respective districts. Between 2002 and 2017, the MSCB provided loans to cooperative sugar factories and subsequently auctioned off the units, along with their lands, at very low prices, often to relatives of those in power, under the pretense of recovering defaulted loans. The ‘scam’ came to light after activist Surinder Arora filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court, demanding an FIR and investigation. In 2019, following the court’s direction, the police registered a case against an unnamed former CM, deputy CM, ministers, and bank directors for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 25,000 crore. The case was later transferred to the EOW.
This seizure is part of the ongoing investigation into the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam. The seized assets include 161.30 acres of land, plant & machinery, and the building of the sugar unit in Kannad, Aurangabad. The seizure is followed after the ED questioned NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar‘s grandnephew Rohit Pawar.
The EOW’s FIR serves as the basis for the ED’s investigation. In 2023, the ED filed its first chargesheet in the case against Jarandeshwar Sugar Mills, which is linked to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The chargesheet mentioned Ajit Pawar’s association with the company but did not name him as an accused. Subsequently, the ED filed a supplementary chargesheet which included the name of NCP MLA Prajakt Tanpure, among others.
Recently, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the police also filed its second closure report in last three years. In 2020, the EOW had filed its initial closure report in the MSCB scam, giving clean chit to Ajit Pawar and other senior politicians, including Rohit Pawar. However, in 2022, the EOW filed an application to reopen the case, stating the need for further investigation into suspicious deals involving the Pawar family and other transactions. But on January , the EOW submitted a closure report for the second time.
On January 24, the ED interrogated Rohit Pawar for 11 hours regarding the purchase of the sick sugar mill, Kannad SSK Aurangabad, through his company Baramati Agro Pvt Ltd in an auction conducted by MSCB.
At the time of the first closure report, Ajit Pawar was deputy CM in the MVA government, whereas at time of EOW’s application for seeking permission for further investigation, he was leader of opposition in the Eknath Shinde-led government. Ajit Pawar subsequently along with his party MLAs joined the Shinde government and is currently deputy CM.
The Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) comprises 31 district central co-operative banks, mostly headed by politicians and named after their respective districts. Between 2002 and 2017, the MSCB provided loans to cooperative sugar factories and subsequently auctioned off the units, along with their lands, at very low prices, often to relatives of those in power, under the pretense of recovering defaulted loans. The ‘scam’ came to light after activist Surinder Arora filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court, demanding an FIR and investigation. In 2019, following the court’s direction, the police registered a case against an unnamed former CM, deputy CM, ministers, and bank directors for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 25,000 crore. The case was later transferred to the EOW.
