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9 irrigation scam cases shut; not linked to Ajit Pawar, says anti-graft body

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ACB officials said that these are routine complaints filed by local farmers, and NGOs, and the closed investigation files are not among the 20 FIRs filed into the scam.

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Two days after he joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Devendra Fadnavis to form a government in Maharashtra, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday closed nine cases related to the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam in which Ajit Pawar is an accused.

The ACB though insisted that there was no connection between Ajit Pawar taking oath as deputy chief minister and the closing of the corruption cases.

Parambir Singh, director general of Anti-Corruption Bureau, said, “None of the cases that were closed today are related to Ajit Pawar.”

ACB officials said that these are routine complaints filed by local farmers, and NGOs, and the closed investigation files are not among the 20 FIRs filed into the scam.

ACB officials said that in a scam of such massive proportion where so many FIRs have been filed, a mere order cannot close the entire investigation. “We can close the FIRs only by moving the court,” said an ACB official.

Soon after the news broke Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi took to Twitter to slam the chief minister.

“From never, never, never to forever, forever, forever. Temporary CM signing his first order to grant clean chit for his temporary deputy?” the Sena leader tweeted.

“No wonder, the only decision taken in ‘public interest’ by BJP-Ajit Pawar is to close all cases of corruption & malfeasance. The BJP way of probity in public life,” tweeted Randeep Singh Surjewala.

 

On Monday, additional director general of police (ACB) Bipin Kumar Singh in a ‘confidential’ letter to the superintendent of ACB Amravati ordered to close nine open enquiries in the complaints filed in connection with irrigation Scam. These complaints were filed with ACB in nine irrigation projects at Washim, Yavatmal, Amravati, and Buldhana.

An ACB source said that around 3000 tenders were under investigation in the ACB’s probe in the irrigation scam. Due to lack of evidence no case was made out in many of the cases.

On November 28, the ACB had to show progress in multiple other cases. Hence closure report in some routine case has been filed and it will be submitted in the High Court, ACB officials added.

The irrigation scam came out in 2012 where it was revealed that even after spending Rs 42,500 crore for a decade, the state had brought only 0.1% of the targeted land under irrigation. It was revealed that a nexus of contractors, officials and politicians had milked thousands of crores meant for irrigation projects. The NCP, which had controlled the department, and Pawar had come under the scanner.

Pawar was the water resources minister for nearly a decade from 1999 and had allegedly cleared cost escalations of 32 irrigation projects by more than Rs17,000 crore. Following allegations, Pawar quit the cabinet only to return within three months.

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Maharashtra govt formation: 2 days after swearing-in, Dy CM Ajit Pawar gets clean chit in Rs 70,000cr irrigation scam

The scam, pegged at Rs 70,000 crore, relates to alleged corruption and irregularities in approval and execution of various irrigation projects in Maharashtra during the Congress-NCP rule.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who recently pulled a midnight stunner with the BJP and was appointed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, has been given a clean chit in the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam.

Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) file of inquiry against Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Vidarbha irrigation scam closed, CNN News18 has reported.

The move comes amid an intense political storm brewing in Maharashtra.

However, ACB DG Paramvir Singh told CNN News18, "We had recommended this almost three months ago that there was no role of Ajit Pawar in these nine cases. Probe is still going on in other cases."

"We are investigating around 3000 tenders in irrigation related complaints. These are routine inquiries which are closed and all ongoing investigations are continuing as they were earlier." Singh added.

Singh also told news agency ANI, "None of the cases that were closed today are related to Ajit Pawar."

Sources in Maharashtra ACB have told ANI that the cases that were closed on November 25 were conditional and that they could be reopened if more information comes to light or the courts order further inquiry.

What is the irrigation scam?

Ajit Pawar was among NCP ministers who were in-charge of the irrigation department at different times between 1999 and 2014 when the Congress and the NCP were part of the coalition government in Maharashtra.

The scam, pegged at Rs 70,000 crore, relates to alleged corruption and irregularities in approval and execution of various irrigation projects in the state during the Congress-NCP rule.

It was probed by the ACB. In November 2018, Union Minister Raosaheb Danve— who was then the state BJP president— had said that Pawar can be arrested "anytime" in the alleged scam case.

In fact, ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, in an interview to a Marathi news channel, had said: “Remember one thing. At any cost Ajit Pawar will have no space in the BJP. We will complete the irrigation scam probe and all involved will face action.”

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2 hours ago, Kool_SRG said:

Maharashtra govt formation: 2 days after swearing-in, Dy CM Ajit Pawar gets clean chit in Rs 70,000cr irrigation scam

The scam, pegged at Rs 70,000 crore, relates to alleged corruption and irregularities in approval and execution of various irrigation projects in Maharashtra during the Congress-NCP rule.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who recently pulled a midnight stunner with the BJP and was appointed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, has been given a clean chit in the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam.

Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) file of inquiry against Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Vidarbha irrigation scam closed, CNN News18 has reported.

The move comes amid an intense political storm brewing in Maharashtra.

However, ACB DG Paramvir Singh told CNN News18, "We had recommended this almost three months ago that there was no role of Ajit Pawar in these nine cases. Probe is still going on in other cases."

"We are investigating around 3000 tenders in irrigation related complaints. These are routine inquiries which are closed and all ongoing investigations are continuing as they were earlier." Singh added.

Singh also told news agency ANI, "None of the cases that were closed today are related to Ajit Pawar."

Sources in Maharashtra ACB have told ANI that the cases that were closed on November 25 were conditional and that they could be reopened if more information comes to light or the courts order further inquiry.

What is the irrigation scam?

Ajit Pawar was among NCP ministers who were in-charge of the irrigation department at different times between 1999 and 2014 when the Congress and the NCP were part of the coalition government in Maharashtra.

The scam, pegged at Rs 70,000 crore, relates to alleged corruption and irregularities in approval and execution of various irrigation projects in the state during the Congress-NCP rule.

It was probed by the ACB. In November 2018, Union Minister Raosaheb Danve— who was then the state BJP president— had said that Pawar can be arrested "anytime" in the alleged scam case.

In fact, ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, in an interview to a Marathi news channel, had said: “Remember one thing. At any cost Ajit Pawar will have no space in the BJP. We will complete the irrigation scam probe and all involved will face action.”

JAI MODI/BJP...

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