JOIN USAmid protests, ED grills NCP leader Jayant Patil in IL&FS scam
In yet another instance of a leader from Opposition parties under central agencies’ scanner, Maharashtra NCP president and former state home minister Jayant Patil was grilled by the Enforcement Directorate for more than nine hours in connection with a money laundering case involving the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS).
Patil (61), a seven-time MLA from Islampur in Sangli district, is considered close to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
“Central agencies are being misused by the government,” Pawar said in Pune in his first reaction to the development.
There were massive protests by the NCP workers after Patil was interrogated. Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) also lashed out at the BJP-led Centre.
The ED had summoned Patil around 10 days ago and asked him to join investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Incidentally, the ED’s Mumbai Zonal Office and the NCP state headquarters are in the Ballard Estate.
Patil walked down from the NCP office and was seen entering the ED office around noon amid tight security arrangements.
A large number of NCP workers assembled in the Ballard Estate area to protest against the investigation against Patil.
The 61-year-old Patil is a veteran politician and was a minister in the Democratic Front and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance governments having held portfolios like finance, home, water resources and command area development.
According to reports, the alleged payment of some “commission amount” by some accused companies to entities linked to Patil is under the scanner of the ED.
The IL&FS filed for bankruptcy in 2018. The investigations by ED date back to 2019.