Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar during his intervention in the question hour on Monday denied irregularities in the sale of sugar factories under liquidation saying that already CID and a panel headed by a retired high court judge have given clean chit while the probe by Economic Offence Wing (EoW) was underway. He has rejected leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis’ demand for a fresh probe in the disposal of sugar factories, some of them were done as per the court’s orders.
"Let everything be crystal clear (Dudh ka dudh pani ka pani houn jau de) so that the general public will know the facts with regard to the sale of cooperative sugar factories in the state," said Pawar and reminded Fadnavis that social activist Anna Hazare had demanded a probe into the sale even during the government led by him (2014-19) in the state. He has now made a similar demand.
Pawar said the cooperation minister Balasaheb Patil will soon meet Hazare and inform him about the inquiries so far conducted into the matter. ‘’Attempts are being made to spread misconceptions on this issue. Similar complaints were made when Devendra Fadnavis, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, was the Chief Minister. Fadnavis had asked the CID to conduct an inquiry. The CID probe did not yield any results. After that, Fadnavis directed an inquiry through ACB which also gave the clean chit in this regard,’’ he added.
According to Pawar, after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government took over it directed a probe by the EoW. ‘’While the inquiry was underway, the co-operation department appointed a committee headed by a former judge and it also did not yield any results,’’ he noted.
Pawar reiterated that two of the inquiries took place during Fadnavis government’s tenure and another two probes during the MVA rule.
Pawar said after the sugar factory is put on sale the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) gives it to operate. ‘’Anyone who wants to run a factory should go to MSCB and check the situation. People criticize but no one comes forward to run the factory. There has been misunderstanding among the Leader of Opposition, members of the House and national leaders on the issue of sale of sugar factories,’’ he observed.
