PUNE, 9 NOV.The investigation into the land deal irregularities in Koregaon Park and Bopodi, Pune, involving Parth Pawar, the son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has been transferred to the Economic Offenses Wing (EOW).
There is speculation that Sheetal Kisanand Tejwani, the power-of-attorney holder in both land transactions, has fled the country. However, senior police officials have not confirmed reports of Tejwani's escape. Tejwani is booked in both the Koregaon Park and Bopodi cases, and the police are currently searching for her.
The Bopodi land deal, involving Parth Pawar's company 'Amodia', was uncovered following the filing of a case at the Bavdhan police station regarding the Koregaon Park land transaction.
EOW officials clarified that while there is talk of Tejwani having fled abroad, they have not received any official information regarding it. They noted that since the matter is one of fraud and embezzlement, the accused is able to seek anticipatory bail. EOW senior officials stated that they are currently requesting and verifying documents related to these land irregularities from government departments before proceeding with further action.
Political Reactions to the Case
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Sharad Pawar (NCP-Sharad Pawar Group President): Stated that the Koregaon Park case is a serious matter and the Chief Minister should conduct a thorough inquiry to present the true facts to society. He emphasized the distinction between administration, politics, and family, stating their ideology is not to involve family in politics.
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Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena Party Chief): Criticized Ajit Pawar, contrasting the Deputy Chief Minister's remarks that farmers want everything for free with his son allegedly wanting crores worth of land illegally without effort. He also targeted Devendra Fadnavis, suggesting that as a Chief Minister who provides 'innocence' to corruption, nothing would come of this case.
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Harshvardhan Sapkal (Congress State President): Demanded that a White Paper be issued on all land scams involving ruling party leaders and their relatives who have allegedly looted the state and acquired land at throwaway prices across Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune. He called for a discussion on the matter during the winter session of the assembly.
The issue has created trouble for Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is now the second leader in the Fadnavis government to face difficulty due to the dealings of his son, following Social Welfare Minister Sanjay Shirsat.
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