Revenue Minister Chandrashekkar Bawankule addressed the ongoing investigation into the high-profile Mundhwa land case on Thursday, clarifying the basis of the First Information Report (FIR) and asserting that the police probe will widen to uncover all involved parties. The case is linked to a firm associated with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son, Parth Pawar.
FIR Registered on Deal Basis, But Probe to Widen
Minister Bawankule explained that the FIR was registered based on the signatories directly involved in the controversial land deal. However, he emphasized that the police investigation is ongoing and will delve deeper to identify the potential involvement of others connected to the case. "The FIR was registered based on the signatories involved in the deal. Now the investigation is on. The police will go deeper to find out the involvement of others. We will not spare anyone," Bawankule stated firmly while speaking to reporters in Pune.
This statement comes amid allegations from opposition parties that the state government is shielding Parth Pawar by not naming him in the initial FIR. The current FIR names Parth's cousin and business partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP, Digvijay Patil, along with Power of Attorney holder Sheetal Tejwani and suspended tehsildar Suryakant Yeole.
Government Rejects Allegations of Shielding Anyone
Countering the opposition's accusations, Bawankule pointed to the court proceedings as evidence of a transparent and rigorous investigation. He argued that if the government intended to protect anyone, the police would not have been able to secure extensive custody of the arrested individuals. "Had our government tried to shield anybody in the Mundhwa land deal case, the police would not have got 12 days of custody of the arrested people. The police produced strong evidence in the court and succeeded in getting their custody for so many days," the Revenue Minister elaborated.
Action Against Suspended Tehsildar Deemed Essential
Bawankule also provided an update on the action against the suspended government officer implicated in the case. He revealed that a notice has been issued to suspended tehsildar Suryakant Yeole, asking him to explain why he should not be dismissed from service. The minister was unequivocal in his condemnation of the officer's alleged actions.
"The crime of Yeole is unpardonable. He tried to help some people in getting hold of government land worth Rs 1,800-2,000 crore. Such officers should be dismissed from the service," Bawankule asserted, highlighting the enormous scale of the alleged fraud involving prime government land in the Mundhwa area of Pune.
The case continues to develop as police investigate the complex layers of the land deal, with the government maintaining its stance of a thorough and unbiased probe.
