Case against Ajit Pawar in Rs 1,000 crore Maharashtra Bank Scam

Mumbai, Aug 26: The Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police has registered a first information report against Nationalist Congress Party's senior leader Ajit Pawar and 70 others in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam case.

The action has been taken following the Bombay High Court's order last week.

Pawar, nephew of party chief Sharad Pawar had served as deputy chief minister from November 10, 2010 to September 26, 2014.

Other accused in the case includes Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader Jayant Patil and officials from the superseded bank's units in 34 districts in the state, an official said.

"We have registered an offence at MRA Marg police station based on the complaint of Economic Offences Wing (EOW)," an official said.

Last week, a bench of Justices SC Dharmadhikari and SK Shinde of the Bombay High Court said there was "credible evidence" against the accused.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and an inquiry commission had alleged that the "decisions, actions and inactions" of Mr Pawar and other accused led to the loss of Rs. 1,000 crore to the bank.

An audit report by the agricultural body later alleged that there was violation of several banking laws and Reserve Bank guidelines in the distribution of loans to sugar factories and spinning mills between 2007 and 2011.

A local activist, Surinder Arora, had filed a complaint with the police in 2015 regarding this. He had also approached the High Court.