May 2012: Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan declared that a white paper on irrigation would be published soon.
Aug 2012: Jan Manch filed PIL demanding probe against cost escalations in the Vidharbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) projects. It said that in year 2009 within just seven months, cost of 38 projects of VIDC increased by 20,050.06 crore. The original estimated cost which was 6672.27 crore reached 26722.33 crore.
Sept 2012 : NCP’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar resigned as he was the water resources portfolio during 1999 to 2009. He withdrew his resignation in October 2012.
Nov 2012 : The white paper in the alleged irrigation scam was released
December 2012 : Special Investigation Team (SIT) chaired by water expert Dr Madhavrao Chitale formed
March 2014 : SIT report made public in June 2014 though it did not look at the modus operandi of the corruption involved in the scam, in the process of calling tenders and accepting contracts saying that it was not a part of their mandate. The report concluded that the main reasons for cost escalation of projects has been rise in market prices and
April 2014: High Court rejects VIDC plea against the PIL
Aug 20 2014: The Supreme Court rejects VIDC plea
Dec 2014: CM Devendra Fadnavis gave nod for ACB probe
Feb 2016: First FIR by ACB
March 2016: State Gov submitted progress report on ACB probe
April 2016: Plea for stay on FIR rejected by high court
July 2016: Maha Govt cancelled 27 tenders
Aug 31 2016: Maha Govt cancelled another 94 tenders
2017, 2018,2019: ACB probe continued, hearing in the Nagpur bench also continued
Nov 2018: ACB filed affidavit had said that in the Gosikhurd and Jigaon projects, Ajit Pawar had signed extension of tenders himself
Nov 2019: ACB closed nine irrigation scam cases two days after Pawar was sworn as deputy chief minister after joining hands with BJP
December 2019: Latest affidavit stated that due process of filling through the VIDC was followed
