‘Aunt’ Supriya Sule gives ‘clean chit’ to nephew Parth, also debunks govt for suspending tehsildar
Speaking to reporters, Supriya Sule besides defending Parth, also defended tehsildar Suryakant Yewale, questioning the government logic behind suspending him.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule, who is the aunt of Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Thursday went all out in support of her beleaguered nephew who found himself on a sticky wicket after the Mahar Watan land deal allegations surfaced.
Every time Sule was asked questions by reporters, she tried to put up a strong defence for Parth Pawar, equating him with other nephews who are in her camp.
Speaking to reporters, Sule besides defending Parth, also defended tehsildar Suryakant Yewale, questioning the government logic behind suspending him.
On the one hand, Sule said the Maharashtra government says the land in question cannot be sold. ”On the other hand, the government has said land deal has taken place and has therefore ordered a probe. But the tehsildar says he has not signed on the deal. It is said that stamp duty on the deal is worth Rs 21 crore but a notice for paying Rs 6 crore stamp duty has been sent. Was the stamp duty paid or not? In the morning, the stamp duty was said to be Rs 21 crore and now it is said the notice for paying Rs 6 crore has been sent. What is the truth? This is like a Banana Republic. Who is running the government?. The government should clarify what actually has happened.”
When asked about Parth Pawar’s name being linked to the deal, Sule said, ”In a democracy, people have the right to demand what they want to. But in this matter, the chief minister should clarify. The tehsildar and sub-registrar have been suspended. But they say they have not signed on the sale deed…It is an injustice to them. The tehsildar’s suspension should be withdrawn. It is not a Parth Pawar’s issue, it is an internal issue of the government. Parth is not in the government.”
Asked whether she was supporting Parth Pawar, Sule said, ”Of course…Be it Parth, Rohit, Jay, Yugendra, Revathi…they are all our children. If people are saying that I am supporting them, in a democracy they have right to say so. What is wrong in them.”
Asked whether she has spoken to Parth Pawar, Sule said, ”I spoke to Parth this morning when I learnt about this deal…He told me that he has done nothing wrong. He said he has spoken to his lawyers who are likely to issue a clarification.”
Sule said, ”It is the Maharashtra government which is sending confusing signals. Since the land belongs to the government, can it be sold in this manner? There is a process to be followed for selling the land. Was the process followed? But the tehsildar says he has not signed on the sale deed? If he has not signed, then has the deal taken place or not? One department does not know what the other is doing. The chief minister should clarify about the deal. The Revenue Minister should clarify about it…They should talk to each other and present the facts before the people of the Maharashtra.”
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Sule said, “There is something wrong with the chief minister. I don’t know what is going on in his mind. A few days ago, he went to Phaltan and gave a clean chit to the former BJP MP when a doctor has been murdered. When the probe has not taken place, how can you give the leader a clean chit. The doctor’s family is not being briefed about the details of the case. The setting up of the SIT has been announced but where is the SIT? And when the tehsildar says he has not signed on the transaction, then why was he suspended?”
Asked whether Ajit Pawar has misused his office, Sule said the CM should comment about it.
Sule said the story was broken by a TV channel (Zee 24 Taas). “The allegations were not made by MVA…The allegations first surfaced on a TV channel. The government should now provide full details about the case,” she said.
District Collector Jitendra Judi said tehsildar Suryakant Yewale has been suspended pending probe.
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.
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