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Ajit Pawar blames officials amid son’s firm facing Pune land deal probe
His comments come against the backdrop of a notice issued by the deputy registrar to the firm of his son, seeking Rs 21 crore in stamp duty and penalties in connection with a controversial land deal in Pune.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar
Amid the allegations over the Pune land deals involving Amadea Enterprises, in which Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s son Parth holds a stake, the NCP chief said on Saturday officials responsible for registering documents should have exercised due diligence and refused to process agreements that were not permissible under law and clearly informed the parties concerned about such limitations.
His comments come against the backdrop of a notice issued by the deputy registrar to the firm of his son, seeking Rs 21 crore in stamp duty and penalties in connection with a controversial land deal in Pune.
“It was expected that the officials would verify the documents during the transaction and take action once they noticed discrepancies. The officials who received the documents for registration of a deal should have refused to register it. They should have clearly informed the parties that such an agreement cannot be processed,” said Pawar while interacting with journalists after the Winter Session of the Maharashtra Assembly in Nagpur on Saturday.
Pawar was responding to queries following the amendment to the Maharashtra Stamp Act, cleared by the state government on Friday. The bill proposing amendment to the Act was moved by Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and passed in the Assembly unanimously.
When asked if the amendment was introduced to protect Parth, who holds a 99 per cent equity stake in Amadea Enterprises LLP, Pawar reiterated that the responsibility lay with the registering authorities. “We are elected representatives in the House, and people have voted for us. We are free to take decisions or make amendments we find suitable,” said the Deputy CM.
The reiteration by the Deputy CM comes two days after the Bombay High Court asked if the Maharashtra Police were protecting Parth Pawar and why he was not being investigated in connection with the alleged irregularities in a land deal involving a firm linked to him. A single-judge bench of Justice Madhav J Jamdar posed the question while hearing an anticipatory bail plea by Sheetal Kishanchand Tejwani, who has been arrested in the case.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said that under the earlier provision, complainants dissatisfied with decisions at the level of the IGR had to approach the high court. After the amendment, such complainants can now approach the revenue minister, who will be authorised to hold hearings in these matters.
-With inputs from PTI
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