Maha Dy CM Ajit Pawar claims ‘no connection’ with Pune land deal, ‘I have never given…’

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar has distanced himself from the high-value land transaction in Pune’s posh Mundhwa-Koregaon Park involving his son Parth Pawar and said he was not even remotely connected to the deal.

Expressing his support for the ongoing investigation on the instructions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he stated that he was right to do so. He emphasized his commitment to legality and called for strict action if any abuse is detected.

“To date, I have never given instructions to civil servants that my close or distant relatives would benefit. I have never called civil servants and given orders. As the Deputy Prime Minister, I say this to all civil servants and employees; if someone uses my name to do something wrong or does something that is not in accordance with the rules, then I will not support them. I am a person who works within the framework of the law and rules.”

“I have no connection with the agreement and have not instructed any official to favor relatives or party workers. If anyone has misused my name in this case, strict sanctions should be taken against them,” the statement said.

He said he was working within the law. “When the children of a family become adults, they behave in their own way. However, I did not call any official for this, nor do I have any connections. I am a person who follows the constitution, abides by the law, and tries to ensure that others act in accordance with the law. Therefore, I will talk about this issue tomorrow after receiving detailed information,” he said.

Earlier, Parth Pawar said, “I did nothing wrong.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I have sought all the information regarding this matter. I have sought all the information from the Revenue Directorate, Inspector General of Registration and Land Registry. I have also ordered necessary investigations. The issues raised are serious. Therefore, we should talk about this issue only after getting the correct information. After receiving the information today, we will clarify the direction of the government’s next step.”

Fadnavis’ move came after former opposition leader in the state council and Shiv Sena UBT leader Ambadas Danve accused Ajit Pawar of abusing his authority, saying land worth Rs 1,800 crore was allegedly purchased for a paltry Rs 300 crore by paying only Rs 500 stamp duty.

“Amedia, Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar’s company with a share capital of only Rs 1 lakh, was able to purchase land at such a high cost. This scam must be investigated now. Also, the revenue department has suspended Tehsildar Suryakant Yewale and Sub-Registrar Ravindra Taru for their role in the transaction,” he said.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed that the ministry will examine the case only after receiving a formal written complaint in this regard from anti-corruption warrior Anjali Damania.

Danve said a 40-acre plot of land in the Mundhwa-Koregaon Park area, allegedly classified as state-owned land under the ‘Watan’ category (reserved for the Mahar community and protected under the Bombay Lower Village Watans Abolition Act, 1958), was sold to Amedia Enterprises LLP (also referred to as Amedia Holdings LLP in some reports) for around Rs 300 million.

Incidentally, Parth Pawar is listed as a partner of the firm and the company’s registered address matches his residence in Yashwant Nagar in Pune.

Danve raised questions about the undervaluation, claiming the market value of the land was “considerably higher” than the transaction price.

“The company has also started preparations to build an IT park and data center there. Parth Pawar should now come forward and explain this so that other youngsters too can understand the secret of their success!” he said.