Committee probing Khadse asks for 3 months’ extension

MUMBAI :Former revenue minister Eknath Khadse, who was forced to stepped down in the wake of allegations of wrongdoings, is unlikely to make a political come back

MUMBAI :Former revenue minister Eknath Khadse, who was forced to stepped down in the wake of allegations of wrongdoings, is unlikely to make a political come back in the cabinet any time soon.

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That is, if the state government grants an extension of three months, as it is likely to, to the Justice Zoting committee that it probing the allegations against the senior BJP politician with regards to the controversial land deal in Bhosari near Pune.

Soon after Khadse’s resignation, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced the probe, saying it would be completed in three months.

The committee, however, which operates from Nagpur, has now written to the government seeking an extension of three months citing incomplete work.

Fadnavis is likely to take the call on the extension once he is back from his three-day US tour.

The committee has held only two sittings — one each in Mumbai and Pune in August and September — and met officials from revenue department and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).

“The deal of the Bhosari land had been challenged in the Bombay high court and the documents related to the deal are yet to be procured. The committee needs to go through the piles of the documents and needs an extension of three more months,” the committee stated in a letter to the government last week.

The committee of retired Bombay high court judge Dinkar Zoting was appointed by the government on June 23.

The probe was announced after controversy erupted over the Bhosari land deal, where land supposedly owned by the industry department was purchased by Khadse’s family members.