Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar, accompanied with grandfather,NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, and Supriya Sule, reached the Enforcement Directorate office to appear before ED officials in connection with the money laundering probe related to the sale of Kannad Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana (SSK) to Baramati Agro.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials aim to interrogate Rohit Pawar regarding the activities of his company, Baramati Agro, which is purportedly associated with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam.
Sharad Pawar will remain at the NCP party office until the ED interrogation of Rohit Pawar is completed, and he doesn't come out. Meanwhile, Supriya Sule maintains an unwavering presence at the ED office, and she will stay there until Rohit's return. Rohit Pawar touched the feet of NCP chief Sharad Pawar while leaving for ED office and also touched feet of Supriya Sule before entering the ED office.
Understanding the law and order situation Mumbai Police have barricaded outside the ED office premises. Intensive security protocols have been implemented to deter NCP activists from assembling outside the ED premises for demonstrations, sit-ins, or any potential exigency. Simultaneously, police checkpoints adorn the routes leading to the Enforcement Directorate's office, ensuring a vigilant and controlled environment.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rohit Pawar said that he will be cooperating with the central investigating agency. He urged everyone to keep supporting Sharad Pawar in case the ED takes any wrong action against him. "For the investigation, I will visit the ED office on January 24. I will continue to cooperate fully with the officials, as I have done before. However, considering the current landscape of political rivilary," said Pawar.
Maharashtra State Cooperative (MSC) Bank scam case
The Maharashtra State Cooperative (MSC) Bank scam case relates to the alleged fraudulent disbursal of loans amounting to 25,000 crores. The case triggered the filing of a PIL Petition in the Bombay High Court by four persons. The PIL shed light on the alleged modus operandi of the fraud.
In the petition, it was alleged that some sugar mills defaulted on the loans, which were given without due diligence. Those sugar mills were attached by the MSC banks and auctioned to various office bearers of the bank and politicians. Acting on the PIL the Bombay High Court ordered the registration of a case.
The Economic Offences Wing(EOW), which is under the Maharashtra government, investigated the case. When EOW filed a closure report in 2020 in the Bombay Session Court, ED filed an intervention petition against the closure report and started an investigation.
