ED gets Sathe Corp case papers, Ajit Pawar's role under lens

Maharashtra government has handed over documents pertaining to the alleged multicrore scam in staterun Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation to Enforcement Directorate and questioned the role of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in this connectionMinister of State for Social Justice Dilip Kamble said documents were handed over to the ED which is examining the case last Tuesday and that the government was doubtful over Pawars decision to allocate Rs 300 crore to the Sathe Corporation three months before Assembly polls last yearHowever former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said there have been no discrepancies and that the truth will be out for all to see once the investigation is completedNCP leader Ramesh Kadam former chairman of the Corporation along with three other accused including his then personnel assistant his sister and one of his office staff are in judicial custody in connection with the alleged scamThe state government has handed over the probe in the scam to the Criminal Investigation Department CID Kamble claimed that the scam runs into about Rs 1000 crore out of which Rs 500 crore belongs to Sathe Mahamandal Corporation and the remaining has been received as grants from the CentreWe have handed over the documents to ED as we have to find out the cash flow transactions with various accounts purchase of 40 luxury cars and the distribution of cash in Assembly constituencies where NCP had contested the polls last year the minister saidKadam had used the funds to live a lavish life distributed luxury cars to presidents of various organisations working for Matang community so that nobody would raise their voice against him he allegedKadam withdrew Rs 22 crore cash from a nationalised bank on a single day and the CID has got the evidence of the transaction Kamble claimed adding that the agency was probing itThe minister also claimed that Kadam had purchased land worth Rs 125 crore at Pedder Road in Mumbai and the payment mode was cash He had purchased a number of lands in Mumbai Pune and Solapur district The CID and ED will jointly work on this We also have a doubt that he may have purchased land outside the state as well he saidKamble said there is a possibility of money laundering in foreign countries by Kadam and if the state gets clues it may ask the CBI to investigate itPawar the then deputy CM and finance minister during the CongressNCP government had approved Rs 300 crore grant to Annanbhau Sathe Corporation in JuneJuly 2014 Also in July 2014 the state had decided to allow a guarantee of Rs 60 crore to loans that would be distributed by the CorporationWhy only Sathe Corporation was allocated Rs 300 crore and nothing to other other backward corporations Was Ajit Pawar aware about misuse of corporation funds Kamble askedThough the government has no evidence against Pawar but if his involvement is found then strong action will be taken against him he said However Pawar has claimed that he did not take the decision of allocating funds to the corporation on his own and that it was the state Sabinets decision which is on recordThe truth will be out once the inquiry is done We had given money to all the backward corporations It is all on record Ajit Pawar did not take decision It was the state Cabinet which did Pawar told PTIOnce money has been allocated it is up to the Corporation to spend the funds Once an inquiry is done the truth will be for all to see he added