Hasan Mushrif third NCP leader to face action by ED

Mushrif confirmed that raids were conducted on properties owned by him, his son and the Sarsenapati Santaji Ghorpade sugar factory managed by his son. Raids were conducted on his daughter’s marital home as well. Musrif said he had not received any notice or summons before the raids and questioned why his family members were being dragged into it

Mumbai On Wednesday, the enforcement directorate (ED) conducted raids on former state minister Hasan Mushrif at several places in his hometown Kolhapur as well as in Pune. Mushrif is the third senior leader from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to face action by the central agencies in an alleged money-laundering scam.

Mumbai, India - January 11, 2023: Senior NCP leader and former Minister of State Hasan Mushrif at Y.B. Chavan Centre, Nariman Point, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Mushrif confirmed that raids were conducted on properties owned by him, his son and the Sarsenapati Santaji Ghorpade sugar factory managed by his son. Raids were conducted on his daughter’s marital home as well. Musrif said he had not received any notice or summons before the raids and questioned why his family members were being dragged into it.

The former minister and five-time MLA from the Kagal assembly constituency in Kolhapur is a significant Muslim leader from western Maharashtra, which is an NCP stronghold. Mushrif also comes from the cooperation sector which forms a significant support base for the NCP-Congress.

The ED action against the former minister has come four months after BJP leader Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint against him. Somaiya had accused Mushrif of being involved in a ₹100-crore corruption case in the Appasaheb Nalawade sugar factory at Gadhinglaj, which was taken over by Brisk India Private Limited in 2014. Somaiya alleged that Mateem Hasin Mangoli, a relative of Mushrif, was a benami owner of Brisk, and the factory was given to the firm to operate for ten years without following any bidding process.

Mushrif dismissed the allegations, saying he had no relation with the firm. “The factory was given to Brisk India Private Limited following an order of the state government, and that too to run for a limited period of ten years. In fact, the firm exited the factory two years ago owing to losses,” he said.

This is not the first time the former minister is facing investigation—in July 2019, the income-tax authorities had conducted raids at several places connected to him. “They could not get anything even then. I don’t know why they are doing this now,” Mushrif told reporters at the YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai.