NCP puts up show of strength as Patil goes to ED office

Summons to Patil is over a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in the now bankrupt financial services firm IL&FS. The party workers gathered outside the NCP headquarters, which is situated next to the ED office, on Monday around 11 am. They also held protests at various places across the state, including Pune, Sangli, Nagpur, Aurangabad among others.

Mumbai: Hundreds of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers gathered outside the office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday to protest the summons issued to the party’s state chief Jayant Patil in a money laundering case.

NCP workers stage a protest at the party office after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned party leader Jayant Patil in connection with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL & FS) scam, at Ballard Pier, in Mumbai on Monday. (BHUSHAN KOYANDE / HT PHOTO)

This show of strength by Patil, who is considered a close confidante of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, was along the same lines as the protests held across the state when the latter was summoned to the ED office in 2019 in a bank scam case.

Summons to Patil is over a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in the now bankrupt financial services firm IL&FS. The party workers gathered outside the NCP headquarters, which is situated next to the ED office, on Monday around 11 am. They also held protests at various places across the state, including Pune, Sangli, Nagpur, Aurangabad among others.

“As we are in the opposition, we will have to face such actions,” Patil said before going to the ED office.

Patil has been the 10th NCP leader to face the ED action (see box).

Other senior NCP leaders such as Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Supriya Sule reacted to the development and alleged that the BJP-led government is misusing the central investigative agencies. Pawar said that they are ready to pay the price but will not bow to the pressure.

The party workers started gathering at party headquarters on Monday around 11am, Patil reached the party headquarters before going to the ED office.

As both the offices are situated next to each other, Patil decided to go to the ED office on foot. The workers gathered outside the party office raised slogans in support of their leader.

After almost an hour, the police had to make way for Patil so that he could walk up to the ED office.

Patil has been heading the state unit of the NCP since April 2018 and was appointed legislative party leader in November 2019 after Ajit Pawar joined hands with the BJP to form a government as deputy chief minster.

The former minority affairs minister, Nawab Malik, has been in jail for the last 15 months. He is facing charges of money laundering and alleged involvement in terror funding linked to a land deal with the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s sister. Former home minister Anil Deshmukh was also imprisoned for around 13 months in alleged money laundering and corruption cases.

Patil received the summons soon after the NCP decided to be a part of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance and jointly contest all the upcoming elections.

The same was hinted at by Pawar on Monday when he said, “There is a possibility that those in power may be expecting something from NCP leaders being called for inquiry. We are ready to pay the price, but we will not fulfill their expectations.”

Patil said that he had no idea on what grounds he was summoned for questioning as the summons did not carry any detail other than a file number and a QR code. “As a law-abiding citizen it is my responsibility to reply to all their queries and cooperate with them. I have no idea why I have been summoned as I never had any relation with IL&FS firm,” he claimed.

Sule said, “Of all the cases being probed by the ED or the CBI in the last few years, 90 to 95% are against the opposition leaders in the country. This has been widely reported in the media as well. The one, who is in opposition, easily gets notices from the probe agencies.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged the country is witnessing an authoritarian regime. “Those who side with the truth, which is sometimes against the government, are being pressurised with the help of central probe agencies, and this pattern can be seen across the country,” Aaditya Thackeray, Sena (UBT) leader, told reporters.