Ex-Pune Police Commissioner claims Ajit Pawar auctioned off police land to 2G scam accused

Former Pune Police Commissioner Meeran Chadha Borwankar, in her book, claimed that Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar auctioned off 3 acres of land in Pune's Yerawada in 2010, that belonged to the police. The land was sold to a bidder who was later accused in the 2G scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).In her memoir titled 'Madam Commissioner', Borwankar revealed that then Pune District Guardian Minister Pawar took the decision to sell the land to a private party, which she later managed to get back through a "tough struggle".

The author also claimed that she shared a good relationship with then Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil, but even he couldn't stop the auctioning as his hands were tied.In the book, Borwankar claimed that the auction was against the police department and that there was a "definite scam" in handing over the land to private players, with huge kickbacks to politicians and bureaucrats."No one, neither the officers nor the media, dares say no to Dada," she quoted a police officer as saying in her book.When Borwankar was summoned by Ajit Pawar to hand over the land, she refused because she felt it was needed for police use and the housing of police personnel. Borwankar speaks of many such incidents in her book ‘Madam Commissioner’ published by Pan Macmillan and released on Sunday, October 15. Realising that Borwankar had no intention of giving away the police land, the highest bidder for the land, who had already given Rs 1 crore as advance payment to the Maharashtra Home Department, went to Bombay High Court, Borwankar said in the book.She termed the bidder as a 'cartel' and said the amount quoted by him was much below market price. She said the highest bidder was charged by the CBI in the 2G scam.Ajit Pawar’s office has denied the allegations made against him in Borwankar's book. "Ajit Pawar was not involved in the said issue and has no connection with the land mentioned in the report," his office said.