Eknath Khadse's son-in-law arrested by Enforcement Directorate in land scam case

In a significant development, veteran politician Eknath Khadse’s son-in-law Girish Chaudhary has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a land scam in Pune.

Last year, Khadse (68) had left the BJP and joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Chaudhary was placed under arrest on Wednesday after a day’s grilling and booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Khadse was questioned in January this year in connection with the land scam which dates back to 2016.

The senior minister in the previous BJP-Shiv Sena government and virtually the No 2 in the government had to resign in wake of the scam.

Khadse had fell out with then Chief Minister and now Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.

In his complaint to the Bund Garden police station in Pune on May 30, 2016, builder and real estate developer Hemant Gawande had alleged that Khadse misused his power as a minister and purchased land in Bhosari area, owned by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), in the name of his wife Mandakani and son-in-law Girish Chaudhary at the cost of Rs 3.75 crore, as against the market price of Rs 40 crore.

The plot originally belonged to Abbas Ukani from whom the MIDC had acquired the plot in 1971, a matter that was pending in court on issue of compensation.

The state government had initiated a probe by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Besides, he had also faced a probe by Justice MD Zoting, a retired Bombay High Court judge. However, he had got a clean chit in both inquiries.