Did Maha Revenue Minister Dismiss Reports of Parth Pawar's 'Clean Chit' in Pune Land Scam?
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Mumbai, Feb 5 (NationPress) Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule rejected claims on Thursday that Parth Pawar, the offspring of the late former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has been exonerated from any association with the Mundhwa land scam.
The Minister emphasized that the investigative committee, overseen by Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Kharge, has yet to deliver its conclusive report.
This statement follows media speculation suggesting that the committee had discovered no links between Parth Pawar and the contentious transaction.
“The rumors regarding a clean chit for Parth Pawar are unfounded. We have not received any report as of now,” Minister Bawankule stated.
Additionally, he mentioned that the Kharge Committee has asked for an eight-day extension to finalize the investigation, citing a lack of personnel and obligations tied to the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.
“I will address this issue only after receiving the final report within the next eight days. It is crucial that we avoid creating confusion in the public's mind regarding such a serious matter,” the Minister added.
The case pertains to 40 acres of 'Mahar Vatan' (Mahar land grants) situated in Pune's Mundhwa region.
Controversy erupted in November of the previous year following allegations of significant undervaluation and procedural neglect.
Opposition members and anti-corruption proponents alleged that Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is reportedly a partner, acquired the land—valued at approximately Rs 1,800 crore—for merely Rs 300 crore.
It has been claimed that the company obtained a stamp duty waiver of Rs 21 crore by asserting that the land would be developed into an IT Park.
Thus far, the investigation has resulted in the suspension and detention of Tehsildar Suryakant Yewle and Sub-Registrar Ravindra Taru.
Moreover, an individual named Sheetal Tejwani has been apprehended in relation to the land transaction.
The inquiry is also looking into Digvijay Patil, the co-owner of Amadea Enterprises LLP.
The state administration's approach to this case has faced harsh criticism from social activist Anjali Damania.
In a recent post on social media platform X, Damania questioned why the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had only submitted a charge sheet against the principal accused Sheetal Tejwani.
“What about the investigation into Digvijay Patil and Parth Pawar? Is justice selective? Isn’t this a mockery of justice?” she queried, urging for transparency in this high-profile investigation.
The state is now awaiting the Kharge Committee's report, which is anticipated to be pivotal in determining whether the inquiry will extend to include the political figures mentioned in the allegations.
Meanwhile, the EOW filed a 1,886-page charge sheet in this case on January 28, as confirmed by Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar.