Sharad Pawar not to visit Enforcement Directorate office citing law and order situation

Mumbai, Sep 27: Ahead of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said that he won't be visiting ED office at their Ballard Pier office in Mumbai after the Mumbai top cop requested the NCP chief to drop the plan.

Speaking to reporters, Pawar said,''I will not visit the Enforcement Directorate office for now. Mumbai Commissioner of Police and Joint CP meet me today and requested me not to go so that the law and order situation remains under control.''

Ahead of Pawar's proposed visit, the police imposed prohibitory orders outside the Enforcement Directorate's office.

Informing the Mumbaikars about the same, Mumbai police took to Twitter, and informed about the places where these prohibitory orders have been imposed.

Section 144 has been imposed under the jurisdictions of Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Marine Drive, Dongri, Azad Maidan, J J Marg and MRA Marg police stations.

Earlier on Thursday, Pawar, named in a money-laundering case by the ED in connection with a scam at Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank, wrote on Twitter, "As mentioned during my press conference yesterday, I will be visiting the Mumbai ED office at Ballard Estate tomorrow, Friday 27 September, at 14.00 hrs." However, the ED has not summoned Pawar or anyone else named in the case as of yet.

Meanwhile, the registration of the case against Pawar had drawn an angry reaction from NCP workers who had staged protests in Mumbai, Baramati and Pune when the ED had framed Pawar in the case.

With the ED expected to not allow Pawar entry into its office on Friday, NCP chief Nawab Malik said,' Police is detaining NCP workers in Mumbai and in other parts of the state, it is not right. Sharad Pawar will definitely go to ED office at 2 pm today. BJP government is misusing Enforcement Directorate.''

The ED is expected to disallow entry to the NCP chief Pawar in its office to 'submit information' related to the alleged Rs 25,000-crore scam in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB), officials said on Thursday. ED officials, however, say deciding to question any person or accused in a case is the prerogative of the 'investigating officer' and such a decision is taken when there are reasons to do so.

The ED has registered a money laundering case against NCP chief, Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar. Several other politicians and officials have been booked in the case known as the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam worth around Rs 25,000 crore.

The move by the ED came in the wake of the Bombay High Court ordering the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police to probe and file cases against Pawar and others in the matter.

The NCP has termed the ED case as politically motivated.