Writ petition filed in Bombay HC in MIDC land deal matter

A 'whistle blower' has filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking setting aside of a "toothless" inquiry committee, set up to probe allegations against former Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse in the MIDC land purchase deal here.
Hemant Gavande, a builder who had levelled allegations against Khadse in the MIDC land purchase matter, yesterday filed the petition which also sought a direction to the CBI, Central Vigilance Commission and Income Tax to take cognisance of the complaint filed by him against Khadse in the land deal with the Pune Police.
Gavande, in his petition, claimed that the government order pertaining to the inquiry committee is an "eyewash". It said that the government has farcically appointed a "toothless" committee without any statutory powers to sweep he issue under the carpet .

He stated in the plea that the committee does not have any status under the Commission of Inquiry Act.
"It is thus clear that the government order is only an eyewash as Committee was appointed to invite findings of innocence and to sweep under the carpet the acts, offences, illegality and irregularity committed by the political heavy weights," the petition alleged.
Gavande had on May 30, 2016 filed a complaint with Bund Garden police station here, accusing the former minister of misusing his official position to purchase the land "owned and acquired" by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.

Making Bund Garden Police Station as one of the respondents in the petition, Gavande requested the court to instruct the police station to submit reports of findings of the inquiry or investigation.

Gavande had accused Khadse of purchasing the 3-acre land in Bhosari in Pune at a throwaway price at approximately Rs 3.75 crores from the original owner in the name of his wife Mandakini and son-in-law Girish Chaudhary.
He claimed that the market value of the land was Rs 31 crores.