"Govt land transfers to builders must be reviewed": Ex-Pune cop's startling claim puts Ajit Pawar in trouble

Retired IPS officer Meeran Chadha Borwankar on Monday said there was a need to review (instances of) government lands given to builders as there was a nexus among politicians, builders, bureaucrats and police.Her statement comes amid a controversy that has been kicked off after she claimed in her book that the then "district minister" of Pune, an apparent reference to Ajit Pawar, had in 2010 insisted on handing over a three-acre land belonging to the police department at Yerwada to a builder following an auction. In the book, Borwankar claimed she had opposed the land being handed over to the builder, who was cited as an accused by the CBI in the 2G telecom scam. Queried on the Nationalist Congress Party faction of Ajit Pawar thinking of sending her a defamation case notice if she failed to prove her allegations, Borwankar said they could do so.
 

"No one has read the book. Without reading the book, a headline was given that the police land was auctioned by Ajitdada. But in reality it did not happen that way. The then divisional commissioner (Dilip Bund) has taken responsibility that the land was auctioned by him," the former Pune police commissioner told reporters in Delhi. Claiming that police officials had been calling her since yesterday to thank her for saving the department's land, Borwankar said, "This is not the only case. We all know that builders vie for government lands but it is our collective responsibility to safeguard such lands and utilise it for public interest." After she put her foot down on the land transfer, the builder, who she identified as "Shahid Balwa", went to court, Borwankar said. Asked about the then state home minister's (RR Patil) stand on the issue, she said he had called a meeting of officials, including the home secretary, and had contended there should be no problem in handing over the land."However, when we (police) explained our position that, if we let go of this land, then no one would hand over a three-acre plot to construct police offices and residential quarters, the home minister changed his stand. The court was then apprised that the state government had changed its decision," she claimed.
 

Asked whether she implied in the book that she was transferred before the end of her tenure (as Pune commissioner) as she had opposed Pawar, Borwankar said, "The tenure was of two years. When the transfer orders came, I was asked about my preferred choice of posting. I sought a transfer to the CID as ADG (additional director general of police) as the post was vacant."Borwankar claimed the then chief minister told her "they" are not agreeing (to making her ADG, CID) and that he had to follow "coalition dharma". The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party were running a government in alliance at the time and the latter had the home department under which the police functions. Borwankar, after her stint as Pune CP, was transferred to the Pune-headquartered State Prisons Department as ADG. She was Pune police commissioner between 2010 and 2012. Asked whether a "political" colour was being given to the (land) episode, Borwankar said the book (manuscript) had been given to the publisher a year ago. They (publisher) took the time to edit and the book was in the printing process for the last two months.  "There is a need to review all government lands given to builders," Borwankar asserted.