Former Vasai-Virar civic chief arrested: Undue haste in ED's proceedings, alleges his lawyer

Mumbai, Aug 21 (PTI) There is "undue haste" in the Enforcement Directorate's proceedings against IAS officer and former Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation Anil Pawar, who has been arrested in an illegal building construction case, his lawyer claimed on Thursday.

Advocate Ujjwalkumar Chavhan, addressing a press conference, said there is no material chain on record to connect the scheduled offence and the so-called alleged proceeds of crime to Pawar.

ED has failed to show any money trail which has flown to him, he said.

The probe agency has not investigated the total number of victims who lost their money to the builders, he said, adding the ED has not investigated the builders who sold the unauthorised premises to victims.

As per the ED, over a period of time, 41 illegal buildings were constructed on private and government land reserved for Sewage Treatment Plant and Dumping Ground under the approved development plan of Vasai-Virar, a twin city in adjoining Palghar district.

As per ED, the accused developers deceived buyers by selling rooms in these buildings despite knowing the structures were unauthorized and slated for demolition.

Pawar took a "substantial" bribe for turning a blind eye and not taking action over rampant illegal construction in the area, the ED claimed.

However, his lawyer said Pawar was not posted at the time of illegal construction, but the demolition of 41 buildings took place during his tenure.

"There is undue haste in the proceedings of the ED. This amounts to a targeted investigation for extraneous consideration," Chavhan alleged. PTI AVI BNM