Land deal case: Danve accuses Fadnavis of protecting Parth; says govt sparing no effort to save him

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nov 13 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Thursday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of protecting Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's son Parth, who is at the centre of a now scrapped Rs 300-crore controversial Pune land deal case.

The government was sparing no effort to save the Pawar father-son duo in the case, he said, and demanded that no leniency be shown towards Parth and a case be registered against him.

Danve also claimed that as per his knowledge, after the land deal case kicked up a row, Ajit Pawar, who heads the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), offered to step out of the government in a huff.

"I heard that during a meeting held at 'Varsha' (CM's official residence in Mumbai), Ajit Pawar furiously offered to step out of the government and extend outside support," he said.

The sale of 40-acre government land in Pune's upscale Mundhwa area for Rs 300 crore to Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is a majority partner, is under scrutiny amid allegations of irregularities and a lack of requisite clearances. The Opposition has alleged that its market value was Rs 1,800 crore.

Facing flak, Ajit Pawar last week announced that the sale deed executed by Parth's firm had been scrapped. He also claimed that Parth was unaware that the land purchased by the entity belonged to the government.

Speaking to reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Danve accused the BJP of being aware of the land deal case, which it planned to use against ally NCP later.

"The BJP knew about this case earlier, and they were preparing its file. If anything goes wrong in the future, Parth Pawar can be arrested in a minute...It is a criminal mentality to use such tactics to control political figures," he said.

He also alleged that the government was actively trying to protect Ajit Pawar and Parth in the case.

"The government is leaving no stone unturned to save them," he alleged.

"But Parth Pawar should not be treated leniently. He cannot be treated as a small kid. He has contested the Lok Sabha elections earlier. He should be treated as a criminal. An offence should be registered against him," the former Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council said.

The Sena (UBT) leader alleged that CM Fadnavis was intervening in the matter to protect Parth.

"Parth Pawar cannot be saved without the direct intervention of the CM in this case," he said.

The former MLC also said that there was a contradiction between the state revenue department's stance and that of Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule regarding the payment of stamp duty involved in the land deal.

Bawankule on Wednesday said he would seek an explanation on a notice seeking payment of a double stamp duty of Rs 42 crore issued to a firm linked to Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's son Parth, even though the land deal was being scrapped.

The Joint Inspector General of Registration issued a notice to Amadea Enterprises on Friday for payment of the double stamp duty before proceeding with the cancellation deed for the land.

"Action is warranted due to unpaid stamp duty. Officers maintain the duty must be paid even to cancel the transaction," Danve said, dubbing the revenue minister's stand on the stamp duty as "completely wrong".

He also demanded the inclusion of the collector and revenue department officials in the inquiry. PTI AW NP