NEW DELHI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar is all set to appear at the Enforcement Directorate’s office on Wednesday as he was summoned by the central agency for questioning in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) case. This development has led to heightened security measures at the ED office in Mumbai, especially as supporters of the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP organized a protest outside the agency’s premises.
The summons to Rohit Pawar, a significant figure in the NCP, has stirred political currents in Maharashtra. On Tuesday, he expressed his readiness to cooperate with the central investigating agency and called for continued support for Sharad Pawar. “After attending the inquiry on January 24, I will fully cooperate with the authorities as I have done previously. However, given the current vengeful political climate and government pressure on systems, if the ED takes any incorrect action against me, I urge everyone not to fear but to stand united with respected Pawar Sahib,” he stated in a message shared on ‘X’.
Social media buzzed on Tuesday with a poster rallying support for Rohit Pawar at the ED office, featuring his image and a bold declaration: “I will come wherever you call me. I am the heir of a storm. I will blow you apart.”
The MSC Bank scam, involving alleged fraudulent loan disbursements amounting to ?25,000 crores, came to light following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Bombay High Court. The PIL exposed the purported fraud scheme, wherein several sugar mills defaulted on loans issued without proper checks. These mills were subsequently attached and auctioned off by MSC banks to various bank officials and politicians.
In response to the PIL, the Bombay High Court ordered a case to be registered. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Maharashtra initially investigated the matter. However, after the EOW filed a closure report in 2020 in the Bombay Session Court, the ED intervened with a petition against the closure and began its own investigation.
The situation remains tense as the NCP braces for potential repercussions from the ED’s inquiry, with Rohit Pawar’s appearance marking a crucial moment in the ongoing investigation. The case continues to be a focal point in Maharashtra’s political landscape, reflecting the intricate relationship between politics and financial governance in the state.
The summons to Rohit Pawar, a significant figure in the NCP, has stirred political currents in Maharashtra. On Tuesday, he expressed his readiness to cooperate with the central investigating agency and called for continued support for Sharad Pawar. “After attending the inquiry on January 24, I will fully cooperate with the authorities as I have done previously. However, given the current vengeful political climate and government pressure on systems, if the ED takes any incorrect action against me, I urge everyone not to fear but to stand united with respected Pawar Sahib,” he stated in a message shared on ‘X’.
Social media buzzed on Tuesday with a poster rallying support for Rohit Pawar at the ED office, featuring his image and a bold declaration: “I will come wherever you call me. I am the heir of a storm. I will blow you apart.”
The MSC Bank scam, involving alleged fraudulent loan disbursements amounting to ?25,000 crores, came to light following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Bombay High Court. The PIL exposed the purported fraud scheme, wherein several sugar mills defaulted on loans issued without proper checks. These mills were subsequently attached and auctioned off by MSC banks to various bank officials and politicians.
In response to the PIL, the Bombay High Court ordered a case to be registered. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Maharashtra initially investigated the matter. However, after the EOW filed a closure report in 2020 in the Bombay Session Court, the ED intervened with a petition against the closure and began its own investigation.
The situation remains tense as the NCP braces for potential repercussions from the ED’s inquiry, with Rohit Pawar’s appearance marking a crucial moment in the ongoing investigation. The case continues to be a focal point in Maharashtra’s political landscape, reflecting the intricate relationship between politics and financial governance in the state.
