EOW Finds No Criminal Wrongdoing In MSCB Case Involving Ajit & Sunetra Pawar

Tikam Shekhawat

Pune, 25th April 2024:

In a significant development, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has concluded its investigation into the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) case, absolving Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with his wife Sunetra Pawar, nephew Rohit Pawar, and other associates linked to the NCP Sharad Pawar, of any criminal offense.

According to the closure report filed by the EOW in January, it has determined that no financial losses were incurred by the bank. Notably, the bank has successfully recovered a substantial amount of Rs 1,343.41 crore from the loans issued.

The disclosure of details from the closure report, made available on Tuesday, sheds new light on the investigation, indicating that no criminal wrongdoing has been uncovered in connection with Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, Rohit Pawar, and others implicated in the case. The recent submission of the report has provided further fuel to the opposition’s narrative, which consistently accuses the BJP of leveraging central agencies and law enforcement bodies against its dissenting leaders. They allege a pattern of either sluggish investigation or swift exoneration once these individuals align with the saffron party. This narrative has been coined by opposition parties as the BJP’s “washing machine”.

Its imp to note there that, Ajit Pawar, having aligned himself with the ruling coalition of the BJP and the Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde), assumed the role of Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister last year after parting ways with the NCP, founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

The report highlights that Sunetra Pawar resigned from her directorial position at Jai Agrotech in 2008, following which the company disbursed ₹20.25 crore to the Jarandeshwar Sugar Mill two years later. Subsequently, the mill was acquired by Guru Commodity in an auction for ₹65.75 crore but was subsequently leased to a company where Ajit Pawar’s relatives, including Rajendra Ghadge, served as directors.