Mumbai EOW files C summary in bank scam case against Dy CM Ajit Pawar

The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has filed a closure reprt on Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam case in which state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was also an accused. This indicates that the agency is inclined to close the case.

The case pertains to a loan scam worth Rs 25,000 crore received from district and cooperative banks by sugar cooperative societies and other institutions in the state.

Mumbai Police has filed a "C" summary report in the special court and the next hearing of the case will be on March 15. When the case is neither true nor false C Summary report is submitted by the Police.

The court will decide whether to accept the report or direct the agency to continue the investigation and file a charge sheet.

Named as accused, Ajit Pawar and over 70 others, who were directors of MSC Bank during the relevant period, the EOW had alleged were involved in distributing loans to sugar mills at very low rates and selling properties at throwaway prices and the rules of banking and Reserve Bank of India were violated in the sale.

However, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed an intervention petition in the case against the closure report filed by EOW.

Earlier in 2020, when Ajit Pawar was Deputy CM in the Mahavikas Aghadi government, EOW filed a closure report in the Bombay Session Court.

ED, had at that time also filed an intervention petition against the closure report and started an investigation.

The Maharashtra State Cooperative (MSC) Bank scam case relates to the alleged fraudulent disbursal of loans amounting to 25,000 crores. The case triggered the filing of a PIL Petition in the Bombay High Court by four persons.

The PIL shed light on the alleged modus operandi of the fraud. In the petition, it was alleged that some sugar mills defaulted on the loans, which were given without due diligence. Those sugar mills were attached by the MSC banks and auctioned to various office bearers of the bank and politicians.