MSCB Case: Pawar to Visit ED Office, Prohibitory Orders Imposed

NCP chief Sharad Pawar is all set to visit the Mumbai ED office at 2 pm on Friday, 27 September.

The ED had filed a PMLA case against Sharad Pawar, his nephew and others on 23 September.

(Photo: PTI)

The police have imposed prohibitory orders outside the Enforcement Directorate's office at Ballard Pier and in other areas of south Mumbai in view of NCP chief Sharad Pawar's planned visit on Friday, 27 September.

Pawar, named in a money-laundering case by the ED in connection with an alleged scam at the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB), has said that he will visit the ED office, even though it has not summoned him yet.

“…There is a possibility that large number of NCP supporters would gather during Pawar's visit," a police official was quoted by PTI as saying said on Thursday.

A late night communication from the police said that prohibitory orders have also been imposed under the jurisdictions of Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Marine Drive, Dongri, Azad Maidan, JJ Marg and MRA Marg police stations.

Meanwhile, Pawar, in a tweet earlier on Thursday, had appealed to party workers not to gather outside the ED office. NCP workers had staged protests in Mumbai earlier when ED named Sharad Pawar in the case.

ED May Not Allow Pawar in Its Mumbai Office

Officials cited by PTI earlier had also said that the ED might not even allow entry to Pawar in its Mumbai office when he visits there to “submit information” related to the scam.

The ED officials have also said that deciding to question any person or accused in a case is the prerogative of the "investigating officer" and such a decision is taken when there are reasons to do so.

What is the Case All About?

The ED slapped criminal charges of money laundering on the basis of the Mumbai Police FIR that was filed in August this year, which itself was filed on the basis of a similar complaint by the state economic offences wing (EOW).

The EOW was asked by the Bombay High Court to file a case after a bench of Justices SC Dharmadhikari and SK Shinde said there was "credible evidence" against the accused in the case.

As per the police FIR, the state exchequer allegedly suffered losses to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore due to the MSCB scam between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2017.

According to the notice, office bearers and directors of the bank extended loans in a fraudulent manner to Cooperative Sugar Factories (CSFs).

It further stated that there were “several irregularities” in sanctioning of the loans and that the bank officials were “connected” to the CSFs.

These developments come at a time when Maharashtra is gearing up for polls, with voting to be held on its 288 Assembly seats on 21 October.

(With inputs from PTI.)