Pune land deal: Danve demands resignation of Ajit Pawar, arrest of his son Parth

Mumbai, Dec 4 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Thursday demanded the resignation of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the arrest of his son Parth over the controversial Pune land deal.

He said the Opposition will raise the matter in the state legislature’s Winter Session beginning on December 8.

His demand came a day after police arrested Shital Tejwani, an accused in the case linked to the sale of 40 acres of government land in Pune's upscale Mundhwa area to a company owned by Parth.

Talking to reporters here, Danve said the directors of Amadea Enterprises LLP should also be arrested. Parth Pawar is a partner in Amadea along with Digvijay Patil.

“Parth Pawar and Digvijay Patil, too, should be arrested in the case. If the person who sold the land is an accused, then the one who purchased it is also an accused,” Danve said.

The Sena (UBT) leader said there is no clarity about the officials who waived the stamp duty on the land deal.

“Stamp duty waiver cannot happen without political pressure. Ajit Pawar must resign over the matter. The Opposition will press for his sacking in the upcoming winter session of the Maharashtra legislature,” he added.

Ajit Pawar's NCP is a partner in the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Tejwani allegedly entered into a Rs 300-crore deal to sell the 40-acre land parcel to Amadea on behalf of the 272 former owners of the land. The land, in fact, is owned by the government, which has leased it to the Botanical Survey of India.

Suspended tehsildar Suryakant Yeole is accused of misusing his power by issuing eviction notices to the Botanical Survey of India. The accused have been booked for cheating, criminal breach of trust, and other relevant offences. Parth Pawar was not made an accused as his name did not appear on the sale deed, police had said earlier. PTI PR NR