MSCB 'scam': NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar appears before court; says chargesheet against him 'bogus'

Mumbai: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday appeared before a special court here in connection with the alleged Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) scam case, and said a "bogus" chargesheet has been filed against him.

The MSCB money laundering case stemmed from an August 2019 FIR filed by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) that alleged fraudulent sale of SSKs (Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana or cooperative sugar mills) by the then officers and directors of MSCB at throwaway prices to their relatives/private persons without following due procedure.

Special judge for MPs/MLAs cases Satyanarayan Navander had last month taken cognisance of a fresh chargesheet in the case against Pawar, noting that prima facie the accused is found to have "knowingly participated in this fraudulent acquisition".

It had then issued summons to the NCP (SP) leader and other accused named in the supplementary chargesheet.

Pawar, who represents the Karjat-Jamkhed assembly seat in Ahilyanagar district, appeared before the court in compliance with the summons.

The court, without imposing any conditions in observation of his compliance and reputation, recorded his appearance and directed to execute PR Bond, his advocates Dixita Gohil and Pranjal Agarwal, said.

On inquiry by the court, Pawar's lawyers submitted that the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) is bogus and no case is made out, therefore the right to challenge is reserved.

The next date of hearing is October 8.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had in June filed the fresh chargesheet in the case against Pawar, his close associate and businessman Rajendra Ingwale as well as Pawar's firm Baramati Agro Limited.

It was the third chargesheet and there are 17 accused now, including firms.

The legislator of the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party has been questioned by the ED twice in the past in connection with the case.

The probe agency has alleged that the MSCB, in order to recover an outstanding loan of Rs 80.56 crore of Kannad SSK Limited in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district took possession of all its assets on July 13, 2009 under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act.

The MSCB then conducted an auction on August 30, 2012 of Kannad SSK by fixing a "very low" reserve price based on a questionable valuation report, the ED alleged.

"Apart from Baramati Agro Limited, two other parties entered the bidding process. The bidder with the highest bid was technically disqualified on flimsy grounds, whereas the other bidder was already a close business associate of Baramati Agro Ltd with no financial capacity or experience of running a sugar unit," it said.