Distillery to sugar mill: Shivraj Patil146;s son pulls strings from father146;s official residence

Records obtained from the Registrar of Companies and pollution board authorities show Shailesh and Archana Patil joined as directors of N V Distilleries Ltd on May 9, 2005. The plant started bottling operations for major brands, including Seagram8217;s, three months ago.

Shailesh Patil, who works out of an office in his father8217;s residence, told The Indian Express that he has a 50 stake in the distillery. But its chairman Ashok Jain claims that the Home Minister8217;s son 8220;has no financial stake.8221; Jain, however, admits: 8220;Having Shailesh Patil on board added to the profile of my project.8221;

He isn8217;t off the mark.

For, records show that the Union Environment Ministry violated its own guidelines to clear the distillery8217;s expansion more of that later. And several officials in the Haryana Excise and Pollution Control departments admit to be under 8220;strong pressure8221; due to what they call the 8220;4, Janpath connection.8221;

When contacted, Shailesh Patil declined to discuss this project and said: 8220;Given my family background, I like to keep a low profile. There is nothing about the distillery project we have to hide. I feel very satisfied that such an investment in a rural area provides employment opportunities for poor farmers.8221;

At the distillery site, villagers of Badoli 8212; where most of the land acquisition was done 8212; allege they have been 8220;cheated8221; by the distillery owners since they were not provided employment as they had been promised. Village Sarpanches of adjoining Gola and Sherpur villages allege their land has been 8220;usurped8221; as the distillery expands its operations.

Far away from the distillery, in his father8217;s former constituency Latur, Shailesh Patil is also the chief patron of a sugar cooperative mill in Nalegaon. That factory, which Shivraj Patil helped start, is steeped in losses and debt, is fighting scores of legal battles and is struggling to survive even as it is making expansion plans.

The annual report of the factory describes Shailesh Patil as a 8220;young leader8221; who is the 8220;margdarshak8221; or guide and whose picture is printed ahead of that of the chairman.

Chairman Manikrao Patil, a doctor who is related to the Home Minister8217;s family, says he has been running the factory for the last two years 8220;with the help of Shailesh.8221; He admits that 8220;Shailesh8217;s presence helps as he involves himself in getting the required permissions and also in interacting with the commissioner of co-operatives in Pune and at the CM8217;s office.8221;

Workers and the management headed by Manikrao blame the previous one for the factory8217;s plight and even accuse it of corruption. The previous management, which was headed by Basavjirao Patil, a local Congressman, in turn, blames it on 8220;market conditions and the vagaries of cane farming.8221;

But everyone is unambiguous about one aspect: the involvement of Shailesh Patil. Says Basavjirao Patil: 8220;During my tenure, too, Shailesh Patil took equal interest and would accompany me when I had to meet government officials. At the government level, he is the one who makes phone calls when we need any help. He also has helped us when we have had to answer banks.8221;

Tomorrow: How rules were bent to give clearances to N V Distilleries