ED Investigating Prominent NCP Leaders Who Switched Sides With Ajit Pawar

A big blow was dealt to the opposition as well as the NCP in Western State of Maharashtra as Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar made a switch once again and moved to support the Shinde-Fadnavis government along with at least 30 MLAs of the NCP.

Ajit Pawar on Sunday afternoon took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Valse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, DharmaraoBaba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil took oath as ministers in Shinde cabinet.

However, after the chaotic split and subsequent oath taking ceremony, many in the opposition and on social media pointed out that NCP leaders who have lent support to Shinde-BJP government have corruption cases registered against them by central agenesis and have been undergoing an investigation.

Here are the cases faced by leaders who lent support to Shinde-Fadnavis government:

1) Ajit Pawar

Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet in court regarding the Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) scam, implicating a company associated with former Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar and his wife Sunetra. However, it is noteworthy that the ED has refrained from explicitly naming the couple as accused in the chargesheet.

According to the allegations made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jarandeshwar Sugar Mill acquired loans totaling INR 826 crore from the bank, with an outstanding amount of INR 487 crore. The ED further claimed that the sugar mill was owned by companies associated with Ajit Pawar and his wife Sunetra. The ED criticized the sale of the mill to real estate companies, highlighting their lack of expertise and interest in operating sugar factories for the benefit of farmers.

2) Hasan Mushrif:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is currently investigating a money laundering case involving individuals and entities connected to former Minister and NCP leader Hasan Mushrif.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating the suspected diversion of Rs 40 crores in the Sar Senapati Santaji Ghorpade Sugar factory located in Kolhapur. The factory is operated and controlled by family members and relatives of Hasan Mushrif. The investigation has revealed the existence of multiple dubious bank accounts that were allegedly used for the diversion of funds, including transfers to entities that hold shares in the aforementioned sugar factory.

3) Praful Patel

Enforcement Directorate had recently attached certain assets of former Civil Aviation minister and senior NCP leader, Praful Patel, as part of its probe related to late international drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi’s assets.

Patel and his family’s four floors at the Ceejay House, including his 15th-floor residence, had been attached provisionally by the ED in July last year, which was confirmed by the adjudicating authority recently.

ED had questioned Patel in October 2019 as part of its enquiry into an alleged 2006-07 joint venture between his company, Millennium Developers Private Limited, and Mirchi for the construction of the 15-storey commercial building.