On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, grandnephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar for questioning on the money laundering case connected with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam. Moreover, the central agency raided the Baramati Agro company, owned by Rohit Pawar, and other linked entities on January 5, 2024, in Pune, Aurangabad and other locations.
Why the ED raid?
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the Baramati Agro, owned by Rohit Pawar as a part of its ongoing money laundering investigation into the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam. This scam stems from an FIR in August 2019 of the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing. The ED revealed that the Kannad SSK took a loan from MSCB under the SARFASEI Act for Rs 50 cr in 2012. Further, Hitech Engineering had received an amount of Rs 5 cr from Baramati Agro, which was later used to participate in the auction proceedings for the sale of Kannad SSK, according to the agency officials.
Moreover, the probe agency is investigating the allegations, that the Baramati Agro may have been involved in the diversion of funds from the MSCB to purchase an ailing cooperative sugar factory. They may have used the capital loans from the banks to finance the purchase of the sugar factory. The ED believes that these transactions may have been used to launder money from the MSCB. The raids were conducted in several locations, where the ED seized a variety of documents, electronic evidence, bank statements, e-mails and financial records during the raids. However, the company’s owner, Rohit Pawar denied any wrongdoings and said that he is cooperating with the ED’s investigation.
What did Rohit Pawar say on ED’s summon?
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar took it to ‘X’ and requested the central agency to call him for questioning on January 22 or 23, instead of January 24. “We all have cooperated with all the systems to date and will continue to do so… instead of 24, I am prepared to call the inquiry on the 22nd or 23rd. I hope @dir_ed will accept,” he posted in Marathi.
Furthermore, he stated the reason behind postponing the date, as the protestors from all over Maharashtra will be coming to Mumbai on January 24 seeking quota for the Maratha community, and a request has been made to the ED for a change in date of summons. Meanwhile, the NCP slammed the centre on the ED’s summon.
NCP slammed the Centre
The NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crastro slammed the BJP for bringing out those leaders who are polluted already but now are identified as ‘clean’ in the BJP. Moreover, he stated that If Rohit Pawar is summoned by the central agency, then several other leaders who were accused by the BJP leaders before they joined the Bharatiya Janata Party must also be called for questioning.
“The constant pressure on Rohit Pawar through central agencies is nothing but political vendetta… Rohit Pawar is a bold voice and BJP will not be able to keep him quiet,” he further added.
About MSCB Scam
The MSCB scam is a major financial scam in Maharashtra that is connected to Baramati Agro, a company owned by the grandnephew of the NCP chief, Sharad Pawar. The ED raids and summons are suspected of fund diversion, sugar factory purchase, and money laundering. This might lead to political turmoil for the NCP, legal challenges for Baramati Agro, and the erosion of the public’s trust in the institution.
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