No probe going on against Sharad Pawar, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday categorically stated there is no probe of any kind against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar.

"There is no investigation of any type against Sharad Pawar. He need not worry..." Fadnavis told media persons in Aurangabad.

He was reacting to Pawar's statement earlier on Thursday expressing apprehensions about when the state government would put him and other NCP leaders in jail.

"Now we are waiting to see when they will put us also in jail," Pawar commented sharply while speaking about the ongoing corruption cases slapped on senior party leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his family members.

Fadnavis reiterated that there is no interference of any kind by the state government as the probes against Bhujbals are being carried out under the orders of the Bombay High Court.

Pawar, who maintained silence on the series of probes Bhujbal is facing, claimed the BJP-Shiv Sena combine is "specifically targetting" him, after a meeting with Bhujbal on Thursday morning.

Some of the cases being probed against Bhujbal and family include the alleged scam in the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, land scam in Kalina, near Mumbai, and amassing huge wealth and properties which were searched at 16 locations across the state on Tuesday.

"Instead of conducting a fair investigations, the agencies are leaking out false information to the media... This is strange... I have handled the home department and this is not how investigations are carried out. The chief minister should look into this," Pawar said.

He declared unstinted support of the party to Bhujbal and help him in every manner without interfering with the probes.

Besides Bhujbal, BJP's ruling ally Shiv Sena has sought investigations against Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel and other NCP leaders, while social crusader Anna Hazare welcomed the probes against Bhujbal.