MUMBAI: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a money laundering case in Vidharbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) scam after registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR)-Its equivalent to FIR—recently.
Earlier, the Maharashtra anti-corruption bureau had investigated deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar in the scam but gave him a clean chit.
Since last couple of months, the ED was examining the documents and FIRs registered in the scam by ACB. Pawar was not named as accused in the ACB cases, but the agency had investigated him.
A source said, “ED names only those accused in ECIR, whose names are mention in FIRs. But, investigate all those associated with the transactions.”
TOI had in 2012 written a series of reports on irregularities in the irrigation projects which resulted in Ajit Pawar quitting as deputy CM. It was alleged that during Congress-NCP regime, Ajit Pawar as irrigation minister, had allotted dam construction tenders to people known to him by violating rules. There was PIL in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court urging investigation in the irrigation scam.
In 2014, Congress-NCP alliance lost the election, and BJP formed the government in Maharashtra along with the Shiv Sena; Devendra Fadnavis became chief minister.
Fadnavis asked ACB to investigate the scam and they have registered 24 FIRs against officers of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC), contractors and their power of attorney holders.
Most of the irrigation scams investigation was conducted during his tenure. In 2018, Irrigation Department of Fadnavis led government had gave clean chit to Pawar after submitting a report to the ACB, who failed to get any major break though in the scam.
The ACB had alleged that the projects were inordinately delayed, and the costs also went up exponentially, leading to failure in providing irrigation facilities in the parched lands of Vidarbha’s five districts. It also led to denying the gain that would have accrued to farmers through multiple cropping and assured irrigation for decades.
After 2019 assembly election, the BJP and the Shiv Sena separated over share of power. The Shiv Sena formed the government in Maharashtra along with NCP and Congress in November. Uddhav Thackeray become chief minister and Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister in Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Within two months of the new government, ACB has filed an affidavit in the high court giving clean chit to Ajit Pawar. It stated that there was no material evidence against Pawar.
Earlier, the Maharashtra anti-corruption bureau had investigated deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar in the scam but gave him a clean chit.
Since last couple of months, the ED was examining the documents and FIRs registered in the scam by ACB. Pawar was not named as accused in the ACB cases, but the agency had investigated him.
A source said, “ED names only those accused in ECIR, whose names are mention in FIRs. But, investigate all those associated with the transactions.”
TOI had in 2012 written a series of reports on irregularities in the irrigation projects which resulted in Ajit Pawar quitting as deputy CM. It was alleged that during Congress-NCP regime, Ajit Pawar as irrigation minister, had allotted dam construction tenders to people known to him by violating rules. There was PIL in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court urging investigation in the irrigation scam.
In 2014, Congress-NCP alliance lost the election, and BJP formed the government in Maharashtra along with the Shiv Sena; Devendra Fadnavis became chief minister.
Fadnavis asked ACB to investigate the scam and they have registered 24 FIRs against officers of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC), contractors and their power of attorney holders.
Most of the irrigation scams investigation was conducted during his tenure. In 2018, Irrigation Department of Fadnavis led government had gave clean chit to Pawar after submitting a report to the ACB, who failed to get any major break though in the scam.
The ACB had alleged that the projects were inordinately delayed, and the costs also went up exponentially, leading to failure in providing irrigation facilities in the parched lands of Vidarbha’s five districts. It also led to denying the gain that would have accrued to farmers through multiple cropping and assured irrigation for decades.
After 2019 assembly election, the BJP and the Shiv Sena separated over share of power. The Shiv Sena formed the government in Maharashtra along with NCP and Congress in November. Uddhav Thackeray become chief minister and Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister in Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Within two months of the new government, ACB has filed an affidavit in the high court giving clean chit to Ajit Pawar. It stated that there was no material evidence against Pawar.
Download
The Times of India News App for Latest India News
Subscribe
Start Your Daily Mornings with Times of India Newspaper! Order Now
Coronavirus outbreak
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Quick Links
Coronavirus in MumbaiCoronavirus in KolkataCoronavirus in HyderabadCoronavirus in DelhiCoronavirus in BangaloreCoronavirus symptomsCoronavirus in IndiaWhat is CoronavirusCoronavirus NewsSolar EclipseNPRWhat is NRCCAB BillCAB and NRCRTI BillPodcast newsLok SabhaShiv SenaYSRCPCongressBJP newsUIDAIIndian ArmyISRO newsSupreme Court
Get the app