Who Is Meeran Borwankar? Former Pune CP Whose Book Puts Ajit Pawar In A Tight Spot

Former Pune police chief Meeran Chadha Borwankar has claimed in a new book that the then “district minister” had insisted in 2010 that she complete the process of handing over an auctioned plot belonging to her department to the winning bidder, who was later cited as an accused by the CBI in the 2G scam.

In a bombshell revelation, former Pune police chief Meeran Chadha Borwankar has alleged in her book that the then "district minister" had insisted in 2010 that she complete the process of handing over an auctioned plot belonging to her department to the winning bidder, who was later cited as an accused by the CBI in the 2G scam. Though the name of the district minister is not mentioned in the book, 'Madam Commissioner', the retired IPS officer apparently points to NCP leader Ajit Pawar, the present deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

The Allegations

According to the book, the minister insisted that she complete the handing over of auctioned 3-acre police land in the city's Yerawada area to the "top bidder" in 2010, but the police officer refused to relent by stating that the land would be useful for building new offices and residential quarters for the police department.

Borwankar writes in her book that she met the district minister in the divisional commissioner's office, where he showed her a map of the area and explained that the auction had been successfully concluded and she should proceed to hand over the land to the top bidder. However, Borwankar argued that the land was prime real estate and would be invaluable for the police department's future needs, including constructing more offices and residential quarters.

The former IPS officer stood her ground and refused to comply with the minister's demands, stating that giving away police land to a private party would be perceived as her "selling out." This infuriated the minister, who reportedly hurled the map at the glass table and made disparaging remarks about her to the then home minister R R Patil.

The Aftermath

Unhappy with the minister's behavior and his insistence on handing over the land, Borwankar wrote a strong letter to the home department, arguing against the deal. However, she claims in her book that the home minister seemed hesitant to support her, as the district minister held more power. A senior police officer reportedly told her that no one dared to say no to "dada," referring to Ajit Pawar.

Realizing that she was not going to give up the land, the highest bidder filed a case in the Bombay High Court. However, to his misfortune and Borwankar's relief, the CBI named him as an accused in the 2G scam. This development strengthened Borwankar's position, and she continued to resist the pressure to hand over the land.

Responses and Reactions

When contacted for comments, Borwankar did not respond to calls or text messages. However, the then divisional commissioner, Dilip Bund, clarified that Ajit Pawar was not directly linked to the issue and that the proposal had come from the home department. He confirmed that Pawar had summoned Borwankar over the matter, but he tried to explain to her that the deal would benefit the police department by providing much-needed quarters for the staff.

The allegations made by Meeran Chadha Borwankar in her book have sent shockwaves through Maharashtra's political circles. The claims of interference by a powerful minister in the land deal and the subsequent revelation of the bidder's involvement in the 2G scam raise serious questions about the integrity of the process. The book sheds light on the challenges faced by police officers in upholding their duties and resisting political pressure. The case highlights the need for transparency and accountability in land deals involving government property and the importance of safeguarding the interests of public institutions.