Former Dehu Road board CEO,3 others in CBI net

Pawar and his three aides were produced at the special court on Wednesday where CBI lawyer Vivek Saxena sought their police custody for three days. However,additional sessions judge J D Kulkarni granted them bail.

Vidya Kulkarni,superintendent of CBI-ACB,Pune,told The Indian Express that Pawar was earlier arrested on February 2009 for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 1.25 lakh from a contractor Ramesh Chugh. “During investigation,we searched Pawar’s residence and checked his assets and investments and found that he was possessing property worth more than his known income,” Kulkarni said.

On May 14,2009,the CBI-ACB filed a disproportionate assets case against Pawar. “We have completed our investigation and have evidences against Pawar and the three others who converted his illegal money in legal source of money,for acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income,” Kulkarni said.

The CBI-ACB submitted before the court that Pawar and his wife Minal possess assets worth Rs 14,53,664. Pawar made the benami transaction in the name of Choudhary,who is Minal’s uncle. He acquired a car purchased in the name of Choudhary.

CBI said Pawar also turned his illegal money into legal money by projecting it as his wife’s income earned through Pranav Softek,a firm belonging to her. For this,Jaiswal,proprietor of Gayatri Arts,Amol Arts and Eagle Advertisers,all located at Aurangabad,issued seven cheques amounting to Rs 1.75 lakh,from these accounts in favour of Minal Pawar. The cheque was produced as a proof to show that Jaiswal has purchased an accounting software from Minal’s firm. To clear these cheques,Pawar allegedly deposited cash in the respective accounts. However,there is no evidence to show that an accounting software was sold to Jaiswal,according to CBI-ACB.

Similarly,Pahade who looks after the business of his family members’ firms Pozzolona Redicast and Balaji Civil Industries in Aurangabad,prepared documents like pay slips and cheques for making the payment of Rs 87,000 on behalf of the companies for the purported sale of an accounting software by Minal to these firms. But there is no evidence to show that an accounting software was sold to Pahade.

The Bribery case

In 2008-09,the Dehu Road Cantonment Board had given a contract of Rs 55 lakh to a contractor Ramesh Chugh for laying water pipelines at Dehu Road. Chugh completed the first phase of work and submitted a bill of Rs 20.56 lakh to Pawar. Chugh then demanded a clearance of Rs 4.92 lakh for the remaining work. But Pawar allegedly demanded Rs 1.25 lakh from him. Chugh then filed a complaint with the CBI-ACB which had resulted in Pawar’s arrest.