Mumbai, September 11, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has received an official complaint alleging that a section of Maratha leaders and their associates have amassed disproportionate assets, acquired benami properties and were involved in financial dealings worth around Rs 200 crore, especially after the Maratha quota stir commenced. Officials familiar with the matter have said that the complaint has alleged transactions linked to government contracts, land transactions and other business activities.
The complaint has also sought scrutiny of financial transactions around political meetings and election-related activities, including those linked to the 2024 Lok Sabha and subsequent Assembly elections. It has also alleged the possibility of financial links involving the sand-trading and transport network in the Godavari river region.
Complaints Seek Financial Scrutiny
The complaints, submitted separately by activists Amol Sukhdev Khune and Ajay Maharaj Barskar, have alleged that there was a substantial change in the financial condition, assets and lifestyle of some persons associated with the Maratha leaders over the past few years. Agency sources, however, clarified that the predicate offence should be needed for the investigation and allegations have not been treated as established facts and that the claims would require verification through official financial, banking, tax and property records.
One of the complaints named a few Maratha leaders and their associates and alleged that government contracts and tenders were obtained by persons and firms linked to the individuals under question. The mentioned departments and agencies include the public works department, water resources department, rural development department, zilla parishads, municipal bodies, the Jal Jeevan Mission and irrigation-related authorities.
Government Contracts Under Lens
The complainant has sought verification of tender numbers, work orders, approved amounts, payments, firms and their directors or partners, sub-contractors and bank accounts. It has also asked investigators to examine whether the contracts were obtained through competitive e-tendering or through influence or other improper means, and whether government payments were subsequently used to acquire private assets.
A separate complaint has focused on a close associate of a senior Maratha leader and a recent purchase of agricultural land in Rammahagaon Budruk in Ambad taluka of Jalna district. According to the land registration documents attached to the complaint, the associate acquired agricultural land comprising 9.08 hectares in gat no. 139 and 2.02 hectares in gat no. 144. The transaction was registered on May 12, 2026, under Document No. 2791/2026.
Land Purchase Flagged
The complainant sought scrutiny of the source of funds used for the transaction and whether it was commensurate with the purchaser's known and declared income. The documents submitted to the ED include registration records relating to the land purchase.
The complaint alleges that the person's financial position was earlier modest and that there was a substantial increase in assets, financial capacity and lifestyle after the beginning of the Maratha agitation. It has therefore flagged the land acquisition as part of a broader financial trail requiring examination.
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Investigators May Examine Records
According to sources, if the allegations are taken up for verification, investigators are likely to examine bank accounts, income-tax records, property registrations, company or partnership records, government tender documents and the source of funds used in the transactions.
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