MSC Bank case: ED issues summons Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned NCP MLA Rohit Pawar in connection with its probe on irregularities in the sale of sugar mills.

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA and party chief Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar in connection with its probe on irregularities in the sale of mortgaged sugar mills by the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB). Pawar, who represents the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in the assembly, has been summoned to the agency’s south Mumbai office on January 24.

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The move comes a fortnight after the ED conducted a search operation at the premises of Baramati Agro Private Ltd, an agri-business company headed by Rohit Pawar which is under the agency’s scanner for alleged diversion of funds, said sources. Rajendra Ingawale and Sanjay Awate, two former directors of the now defunct Hitech Engineering Corporation India Private Limited, and a firm named Samruddhi Sugar Private Limited are also under ED’s lens in the case.

Hitech Engineering, Samruddhi Sugar and Baramati Agro had participated in the auction of an Aurangabad-based cooperative sugar factory, Kannad SSK, which was purchased by Pawar’s firm for around ₹50 crore in October-November 2012. In August 2012, Hitech Engineering had received ₹5 crore from Baramati Agro, which ED officials suspect was used as earnest money deposit to participate in the auction of Kannad SSK. The ED also suspects that the auction was rigged, and funds used for the purchase were sourced from cash credit accounts of various banks sanctioned for the purpose of working capital requirement.

Responding to the summons. Pawar said that he has requested the ED to call him on January 22 or 23 instead of January 24, when protestors demanding Maratha reservation are scheduled to reach Mumbai. “The issue of Maratha reservation is important. I hope the director, ED will accept my request,” he posted on X. Pawar also assured his well-wishers, saying there was no reason to worry as officers involved in the investigation were only following the orders of their bosses. “It is our duty to cooperate with them. We have cooperated with all the agencies till date and will continue to do so,” he said.

The ED’s probe is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai Police on August 26, 2019. The FIR alleged that sick sugar mills were fraudulently sold by officials and directors of MSCB at throw-away prices to their relatives/private persons in violation of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act.

The 38-year-old Pawar is considered close to the senior Pawar, who is said to be guiding him on the nitty-gritties of public life. This was the reason he chose to remain with the senior Pawar when a group of around 40 MLAs led by Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar went on to join the Eknath Shinde-led government.