New Delhi [India], October 1 : The Bombay High Court on Thursday expressed shock at the failure of Pune Police to name Parth Pawar, son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Sunetra Pawar, as an accused in the Mundhwa land deal case despite him holding a 99% stake in Ameida Enterprises LLP, which allegedly purchased a 40-acre government land parcel at a price substantially below its actual value.
A single-judge bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar raised the issue while considering the anticipatory bail plea of Pune tehsildar Suryakant Yewale, who has been booked in connection with the transaction.
The court questioned why police had named Digvijay Patil, who holds only a 1% stake in Ameida Enterprises, as an accused but had not arrayed Pawar, who holds the remaining 99%, as an accused.
“It is very surprising that a person who owns 99 per cent shares in the partnership firm isn’t made an accused, but someone who owns only 1 per cent shares is named. Mr Pawar is a very influential person and is the son of the present Deputy Chief Minister,” Justice Jamdar said.
The observation came after Maharashtra Director General of Police Sadanand Date filed a personal affidavit before the court in compliance with its September 7 order.
On September 7, Justice Jamdar had directed the DGP to file the affidavit after taking note of the disparity in the manner in which the police had proceeded against the partners of Ameida Enterprises.
In his affidavit, the DGP said the case required a detailed and professional investigation.
The DGP informed the court that he had directed the Pune Commissioner of Police to conduct further investigation into the matter in a more professional manner. He also assured the court that he would personally monitor the progress of the investigation.
Justice Jamdar accepted the statement made by the DGP regarding further investigation.
The court then considered Yewale’s anticipatory bail plea.
Justice Jamdar observed that the allegations against the tehsildar related to orders passed by him while exercising his powers as a quasi-judicial authority.
The court noted that there was no specific allegation that Yewale had passed the orders in favour of any particular person under the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act in return for illegal consideration.
The court consequently granted anticipatory bail to Yewale.
The case concerns a 40-acre government-owned land parcel in Pune’s Mundhwa area that was allegedly transferred to Ameida Enterprises LLP at a value substantially lower than its actual market value.
The proceedings had earlier drawn the High Court’s attention to the role of the firm’s partners and the manner in which the police investigation was conducted.