The I-Tax department had on Monday conducted searches

at the premises Jadhav, who is the Minister of State for Urban Development, after he came under scanner for the lavish wedding hosted at Chiplun, when many parts of the state were facing the prospect of a severe drought. The inquiries and searches were carried out by a team of 11 officers at his hotel as well as residence in Chiplun (Ratnagiri) and Karad (Satara) on February 18, I-T sources had said yesterday. The I-T sleuths had also recorded the statement of the NCP leader on Monday night at his Chiplun residence, they said. The department is gathering information about the huge expenses incurred on the elaborate wedding of Jadhav's son and daughter on February 13. Soon after the ceremony, the NCP had disapproved of the lavish wedding hosted by its minister and had termed it as "inappropriate" when many parts of Maharashtra were reeling under water scarcity. "Such ostentatious show of wealth was inappropriate for those in public life," NCP spokesman Nawab Malik had said. NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar too had voiced his displeasure. Pawar had said that he could not sleep the whole night when he saw visuals of the wedding on television.