ACB files 153-page charge sheet in Balganga scam

MUMBAI: The state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) filed a charge sheet running in the Balganga dam irrigation scam at a Thane court on Monday. But former deputy chief

MUMBAI: The state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) filed a charge sheet running in the Balganga dam irrigation scam at a Thane court on Monday. But former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who was questioned by the ACB in the case, didn’t feature in the charge sheet.

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The ACB had registered an FIR on August 25 last year at Kopri police station in Thane against 10 people in the Balganga scam. The accused— four members of Khatri family that owns FA Enterprises, which bagged a number of projects in the region, and six Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC) officials — have been charged with corruption, criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery, among other things.

“The investigation in the case will continue as it’s a vast subject. The charge sheet comprises of detailed accounts of the scam and evidences have been put forth the court,” said a senior ACB officer.

Although Pawar was questioned by the ACB in connection with the case as he was the water resources minister then, his name wasn’t part of the charge sheet. He had allegedly cleared cost escalations of 32 irrigation projects by more than Rs17,000 crore.