Money laundering probe: NCP MLA Rohit Pawar appears before ED
Mumbai (PTI): NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, the grand nephew of party supremo Sharad Pawar, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here on Wednesday for questioning in connection with its money laundering probe into the alleged Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam, an official said.
NCP MP Supriya Sule and other party leaders accompanied the 38-year-old legislator till the entrance of the probe agency's office.
The MLA reached the ED office located at Ballard Estate in South Mumbai at around 10.30 am.
Before going to the probe agency's office office, Rohit Pawar went to the NCP office's located nearby and met Sharad Pawar, touched his feet, and also interacted with other party leaders.
He also visited the Vidhan Bhavan and paid tributes at the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and a plaque of the Indian Constitution.
Before Rohit Pawar entered the ED office, Sule handed him over a copy of the Indian Constitution.
She hugged him and he touched her feet before entering the probe agency's office.
Hundreds of NCP workers, who have come here from across the state, gathered at the party office in South Mumbai. They raised slogans in support of Rohit Pawar and staged a protest against the ED.
While entering the NCP office, Rohit Pawar told reporters that he has cooperated with the agencies earlier in the probe and will do so in future also.
"The officers are doing their job, whatever documents they have demanded, we have given to them. I will appear before them and whatever information they are asking I will give them," the NCP MLA from Karjat Jamkhed said.
The Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank money laundering case stems from an August 2019 FIR of the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing.
The ED conducted searches on January 5 on the of Baramati Agro, a company owned by Rohit Pawar, and some linked entities on in Baramati, Pune, Aurangabad and some other locations.
The case was filed after the Bombay High Court issued an order to investigate the allegations of selling sugar factories in the Maharashtra cooperative sector through alleged fraudulent means and also that they were sold at throwaway prices.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
