In a major embarrassment to the NCP, even as Bhujbal was arrested, another NCP stalwart former deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, was summoned in connection with a notice related to irregularities in the state apex cooperative bank MSCB, according to HT.
Ajit is facing inquiry in the Rs 1500 crore scam in the Maharashtra state cooperative bank (MSCB).
Earlier, the state cooperative dept issued a notice to the NCP stalwart and others for alleged fraud in the bank. The scam spanned three fiscals including 2007-8, 2008-9 and 2009-10.
It deserves repetition that the board of directors, headed by NCP’s Manikrao Patil, was dissolved after the RBI rapped the bank over knuckles for high negative net worth in 2012.
Earlier, a report by the State Cooperative Commissioner had submitted a report to the government alleging that the decisions of the MSCB’s erstwhile board of directors were responsible for the irregularities and financial losses suffered by the State’s apex cooperative bank.
The board of directors is said to have set aside directives from NABARD in releasing loans to sugar mills and several other cooperatives, Free Press Journal quotes a source saying.
Besides, the probe against Pawar in the multi-crore irrigation scam continues to hang over him like Damocles sword.
The NCP says it is vendetta politics by the BJP-led government.
The ED is probing the role of Bhujbal, a former PWD minister, in a money laundering case registered by it earlier this year. His nephew and former MP Sameer Bhujbal has been arrested in the case with the ED authorities pointing to an empire that runs in thousands of crores.
Sources say the NCP’s vendetta politics charge rings hollow given that Pawar, Bhujbal and several of its top leaders are facing probes in various scams.