MIDC deserved plot for distillery plant of minister Shirsat's son, alleges AIMIM leader; seeks probe

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jun 6 (PTI) AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel on Friday alleged that a plot reserved for a truck terminus in Shendra industrial area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district was de-notified by the MIDC and allotted to Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat's son to set up a distillery plant.

Addressing a press conference, Jaleel, a former MP, urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a probe by the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to probe the alleged irregularity.

Shirsat, who currently handles the Social Justice portfolio, he did not respond to the calls.

The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader questioned the need for the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) to de-notify the land, measuring 21,275 square metres, that was meant for a truck terminus.

"Shirsat's son Siddhant wants to start a factory to manufacture absolute alcohol. He applied for the land in Shendra MIDC in 2022. The MIDC officials acted on it and the local committee recommended to de-reserve an area of 21,275 sq m from a plot of 42,000 sq m reserved for truck terminus on June 3, 2022," Jaleel claimed.

"A proposal was sent to Mumbai and on December 7, 2022, a company named Cameo Distilleries Pvt Ltd was formed with Shirsat's son Siddhant, wife Vijaya Shirsat and builder Bhaven Amin as its three directors. It was said that Rs 26.47 crore were to be paid from their pockets to form the company and Rs 79.42 crore were to be taken as loan by it," he said.

Soon after the plot of exactly 21,275 sq m was allotted, Amin left the company. His bank statement was used in order to get the plot, the AIMIM leader claimed.

"MIDC should tell what was the need to de-reserve the plot meant for a truck terminus. Why was the plot allotted to Cameo Distilleries? UCO Bank gave a loan of Rs 5.5 crore to Vijaya Shirsat, whose annual income Rs 25 lakh as mentioned on papers," he added.

Jaleel demanded a thorough probe into the entire episode.

"CM should give this case to the Income Tax Department, ED or ACB...," Jaleel said.

The latest allegation involving Shirsat's son came days after Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged irregularities in the proposed acquisition of a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar by Shirsat's son Siddhant and others.

The opposition party had questioned the source of money to be used for the transaction and alleged that the acquisition price of the hotel was undervalued.

In the wake of the controversy, Shirsat said earlier this week that his son would withdraw from the race to acquire the hotel.

Talking about it, Jaleel said, "We heard a lot about the hotel purchase recently. But this one (MIDC land) is a bigger case than that of the hotel purchase as the money involved is Rs 105.89 crore." PTI AW NP