Maharashtra’s anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has cleared Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar of allegations in connection with an irrigation scam in the state, according to an affidavit filed in the high court late last month.The affidavit was filed in Bombay high court on November 27, in the middle of a tug-of-war for power between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a coalition of opposition parties including Pawar’s NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena.
“Considering facts and evidence collected during the course of inquiry/investigation, it is observed that there is no criminal liability on the part of chairman of VIDC (minister of water resources department),” said the affidavit, which was filed a day after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis resigned following an aborted breakaway attempt by Pawar from NCP, which is headed by his uncle Sharad Pawar.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as CM on November 28 with support from Congress and NCP, to which Ajit Pawar has since returned.
The affidavit pertains to several allegations against Pawar, who was the minister of water resources between 1999 and 2009, including that of escalating costs in 32 irrigation projects in Vidarbha by Rs 17,700 crore within three months.The allegations had been a political issue in the run-up to the 2014 state elections. Shortly after his victory, Fadnavis opened the case against Ajit Pawar.In all, the irrigation scam involves 44 projects spread over Vidarbha and the Konkans and has till now led to 23 FIRs and 5 chargesheets.
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