Ajit Pawar owns 57 companies, investment in deals through shell company: Somaiya

While Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar claim that the income-tax raids for the past six days have nothing to do with politics and family businesses, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that two of Pawar’s nieces and husband of one of them are directors/shareholders in companies owned by Ajit Pawar

While Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar claim that the income-tax raids for the past six days have nothing to do with politics and family businesses, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that two of Pawar’s nieces and husband of one of them are directors/shareholders in companies owned by Ajit Pawar.

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Somaiya in a press conference on Wednesday alleged that Ajit Pawar owns 57 firms directly or indirectly (benami) and also has involvement in deals through a shell company called Yash V Jewels Limited. He also alleged that three leaders or ministers in Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government have dealt through Yash V Jewels, which was announced a shell company by SEBI in April 2009.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar in his press conference on Wednesday said, “The raids on my three nieces are on for the sixth day in a row. The I-T teams have not found anything in the raids and the officers want to wind up the operation, but their ‘bosses’ from Delhi have instructed them to continue the raids. Three of my nieces are apolitical personalities and have nothing to do with the sugar mills or other businesses facing action.”

“After the I-T raids on three sisters of Ajit Pawar last week, the deputy chief minister drew emotive card and said that his sisters had nothing to do with the companies. I am producing the documents today to show that Vijaya Patil and her husband and Nita Patil are the owners or shareholders in Jarandeshwar Sugar factory. The family including Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra and sisters hold ownership to the tune of 90.5% through their company Sparkling Soil Private Limited. The sugar factory was leased out to the family for 45 years, although there were 22 other bidders who backed out after showing interest. The Pawars created 27 layers to hide the fact related to the ownership,” Somaiya alleged. “The I-T raids are one of the biggest raids in the country so far. The I-T authorities have found many important documents hid in servants’ quarters, parking areas, inside the walls during these raids.”

Ajit Pawar was not available for comment, while his office said that he will speak at an appropriate time.

“The allegations are baseless,” said minority welfare minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik.