SC refuses to quash probe against Ajit Pawar, others in cooperative bank scam

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) seeking to quash the investigation against NCP leader Ajit Pawar and others in connection with the Rs 5,000 crore Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) scam case.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra and also comprising Justice M R Shah, refused to intervene in the petitions filed by more than 50 accused including Ajit Pawar, challenging a Bombay High Court judgement which ordered the police to conduct "free and fair" probe in the case.

"We don't want to interfere in the case. We also refused to quash the investigation in the case," said the bench in its order said.

On August 22, the Bombay High Court had in its judgement directed Maharashtra Police to conduct a free and fair probe in the case which involved former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and more than 50 other accused in the scam.

Hearing on a petition, the high court refused to quash the charges against the accused observing that the inquiry report constitutes credible information and material that prima-facie discloses the commission of cognizable offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

It had also directed the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of Mumbai Police to register an FIR by August 27 on a PIL filed by one Surinder Mohan Arora. Accordingly, a case was registered against Pawar and 76 others on August 26.

The case pertains to loans given by the bank amounting to crores of rupees to some companies allegedly on the recommendation of Ajit Pawar and some others, who were directors of the bank between the years 2005-10. The bank had to suffer losses as the companies never returned the loan. .