Nagpur: NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has received a major relief just four days before cabinet expansion. The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in its affidavit filed on December 19 in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court has given clean chit to Pawar in 12 irrigation projects being developed by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). Pawar is set to be inducted in the cabinet expansion slated for December 24.
"As regards the role of Ajit Pawar, no criminal liability is disclosed during the course of inquiry/ investigation by the Special Investigation Team," the affidavit said. The affidavit was filed by the ACB director Param Bir Singh.
The irrigation scam comprises of enquiries into contracts floated by VIDC and Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC). Pawar was the irrigation minister when these controversial projects were awarded. He was also the chairman of the VIDC.
Since all the issues raised by the petitioner in the instant PILs are being looked into by this agency and all allegations are being enquired/ investigated into by the SITs under ACB, the present PILs and the four civil applications deserve to be disposed of,” the affidavit said.
The affidavit further stated that the affidavit filed on November 26, 2018 in the case by the then ACB chief Sanjay Barve was through inferences drawn by him on basis of the material put before him then. The then officer had told the Nagpur Bench that Pawar had intervened in the process of award of contracts for irrigation projects.
"No investigating officer or enquiring officer was placed in connection with Ajit Pawar or his role. So the affiant did not have the advantage of knowing the actual facts collected by investigating officers which are now with the ACB," Param Bir Singh said.
During the course of the investigation and after filing of the affidavit in November 2018, the water resources department provided information to the agency in May and June 2019. Ajit Pawar then responded to a questionnaire given to him in September 2019 and December 2019 regarding the 12 irrigation projects of Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC).
The SPs of ACB Nagpur and Amravati and the head of SIT submitted their affidavits to the honourable court after the 2018 affidavit and on November 27, 2019 which was endorsed and verified by me, DG said.
Departmental action has been recommended against officials of the VIDC as it was accused of administrative lapses found during the investigation.
Earlier, the NCP leader was cleared of all allegations in the Vidarbha irrigation scam by the Maharashtra ACB, according to an affidavit submitted before the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, which was filed just a day before the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government (Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress) was sworn in Maharashtra on November 28.
Ajit Pawar, chairman of the VIDC, cannot be held responsible for acts of the executing agencies as there is no legal duty on his part, the affidavit filed on November 27 stated.
