Ajit, Mushrif, Munde… several in ED’s crosshairs get berths | India News
MUMBAI: The BJP-led govt in Maharashtra has inducted several ministers who are still facing Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations. This includes Pratap Sarnaik, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. None of them have been chargesheeted, but no closure reports have been filed in court indicating that investigations against them have come to an end.
BJP’s Girish Mahajan, on the other hand, has joined the cabinet after receiving clearance through a CBI closure report recently.
Pawar, Munde, Mushrif, Sarnaik were opposition members when accused by the ED of money laundering, but later became the BJP’s alliance partners. The cases continue and chargesheets have been filed against some persons and companies with which they are alleged to have links.
Regarding Mahajan’s case, he faced police charges during MVA govt’s tenure for extortion and kidnapping. He maintained his innocence and requested a CBI investigation. The Eknath Shinde government had transferred the case to CBI, which cleared Mahajan. Subsequently, the CBI filed charges against IPS officer Bhagyashree Navtake and others for criminal conspiracy and providing false information on people associated with Mahajan.
Hasan Mushrif, an MLA from Ajit Pawar’s NCP, who also became a minister after taking oath on Sunday, had had his premises searched by the ED over money laundering allegations.
Dhananjay Munde faces an ED investigation regarding a 17-acre plot in Pus village, Beed district. The land, previously gifted to Belkhandi Math’s chief priest, was acquired by Munde from the priest’s heirs in 2012. Ajit Pawar is also under ED investigation for the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank-related money laundering case. Pratap Sarnaik, minister and Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA, faces two money laundering investigations with properties attached by ED.
