Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party leader Jayant Patil, after nearly nine hours of Enforcement Directorate questioning in connection with alleged IL&FS (Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited) scam, said that he on Rajaram Bapu Co-operative sugar factory owned by the Patil family. Patil said that the questions had nothing to do with IL&FS scam. He also had said to the media on Monday night that he will cooperate in the probe by federal agency.
ED questioned Patil about the year during which the sugar factory was commissioned, the board of directors then and now, the sales turnover and the production capacity of the factory. He was probed about Rajaram Bapu Sahakari (Co-operative) Bank LTD, run by the board of directors close to the Patil family since 1981. Details about the gross business and annual financial turnover were also taken into account by the ED officials.
He was also asked questions pertaining to the Rajaram Bapu Sahakari (Co-operative) Bank Ltd, run by the board of directors close to the Patil family since 1981 and asked for details about the gross business and annual financial turnover.
The investigation dates back to 2008-2014, when then Maharashtra government had assigned contracts worth thousands of crores for infrastructure projects to build roads. IL&FS, too, was assigned such contracts, which it, in turn, assigned to IFIN, from there on to ITNL, a group companies of IL&FS; and through them to different subcontractors which led to the involvement of politicians.
Jayant Patil questioned on Monday
After hours of grilling, Patil, while addressing the media said that, "I have answered all questions they (ED) asked me. I will go whenever they call me again to join the probe. I don't have any connection with IL & FS. No money came into my account. I didn't take money from anyone. All the allegations are false, 'mera Daman saaf hai' (There is no stain on my character)."
ED summons Jayant Patil
On May 11, the ED summoned Patil to appear before the agency, to record his statement in the case. However, he later cited his busy schedule and requested ED for another date to appear before it. He had sought 10 days' time from the federal agency.
IL&FS case probe
The ED is probing the NCP Maharashtra chief's alleged involvement in dubious loans extended to Kohinoor CTNL by IL&FS, which filed for bankruptcy in 2018.
The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in IL&FS Group's loan and equity investment in Kohinoor CTNL, which is one of the defaulters. Kohinoor CTNL is developing the Kohinoor Square tower in Dadar (West). The ED began its probe into the IL&FS money laundering case in 2019 based on a First Information Report by Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
