As government land cannot be transferred, opposition parties demanded the resignation of Ajit Pawar
Parth Pawar owns 99 per cent of the firm. File pic
It’s a double whammy for Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s son Parth. After controversy erupted over the purchase of government land by a company where Parth is a partner, not only was the deal cancelled, but it turns out the firm will still have to pay stamp duty. To add insult to injury, the company will have to pay Rs 21 crore (7 per cent) for the registration of the Rs 300-crore deal, along with another Rs 21 crore for cancelling it, officials from the revenue department said.
mid-day has reported how the deal caused a furore when it emerged that the government land parcel in Pune was being purchased in violation of norms. The plot was undervalued by six times (from Rs 1800 crore), and stamp duty was also waived off upon the claim that the procurement was for an IT park.
As government land cannot be transferred, opposition parties demanded the resignation of Ajit Pawar. On Friday, the deputy CM clarified that he was not aware of the deal and claimed that the entire process stands cancelled. However, it seems CM Devendra Fadnavis is not on the same page, stating on the same day: “To cancel the deal, it needs to be completed first. Stamp duty needs to be paid. Thereafter further processes can be initiated.”
Former Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve took a dig at the ruling regime: “The claims made to cover up the case are contradictory. Pawar claims that the deal is cancelled, but how can a deal stand to be cancelled if it never happened?”
There was further outrage over why Parth Pawar was not named in the case despite him owning 99 per cent of the firm. CM Devendra Fadnavis responded: “An FIR has been filed against the company. All signatory authorities will be probed and those indulging in the case will certainly be booked. As the investigation progresses and new names crop up, those people will be added in the FIR.”
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