Ajit Pawar may appear before ACB today

He said he had all along cooperated with the ACB and would continue to do so.

FORMER DEPUTY Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is set to appear before the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Tuesday in connection with the alleged irregularities in irrigation projects in Raigad district during the Congress-NCP rule. If he appears before the ACB, it will be the first time a member of the Pawar family will be grilled by an anti-corruption agency in Maharashtra.

“As of now, it seems I will have to appear before the ACB as they want some clarifications from me,” the former deputy chief minister told The Indian Express Monday morning.

However, by evening, he said he didn’t know if he would be asked to appear before the ACB or whether his written submissions would be enough.“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” he said.

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He said he had all along cooperated with the ACB and would continue to do so. “I have, through my lawyer, replied to each and every question raised by the ACB. And will do so in future too. But if they want me to appear before them, I’m ready to do so,” he said.

Pawar family associates said if Ajit Pawar indeed appeared before the ACB, it would be the first time a Pawar family member would be doing so, especially in connection with irregularities in government projects. “Sharad Pawar hardly faced any such allegations during his tenures as chief minister. When a bureaucrat made allegations against Pawar, no one believed him. And they ultimately turned out to be bogus. And Supriya Sule never faced any allegations of irregularities,” said a close family aide.

Last week, Ajit Pawar had told this paper there was no need for him to appear before the ACB as he had submitted his replies to the agency. “This is not the first time we have been asked to clarify on certain contracts relating to the irrigation projects. They have issued similar summons earlier too,” he had said. Pawar had refused to comment whether they were being targeted for political gains by the ruling coalition.

He said he and NCP state chief Sunil Tatkare, who has also been summoned, had nothing to hide and, therefore, replied to each and every query raised by the ACB so far.

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When contacted, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malick said he was not sure whether Pawar and Tatkare would appear before the ACB. “But yes, our leaders will cooperate with the ACB fully. They have done nothing wrong and we have nothing to fear,” he said.

ACB investigations into the alleged irregularities in irrigation projects in Raigad district had found several loopholes in the sequence of financial transactions. On August 24, the ACB had registered the first FIR in the irrigation scam, booking 11 people in connection with alleged irregularities in awarding the contract for Balganga dam to FA Enterprises.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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