A sugar mill linked to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar has been slapped with a fine of Rs 4.5 lakh for allegedly allowing sugarcane into its premises before the date stipulated by the Maharashtra government, an official said.
A video clip of sugarcane being brought into the mill's premises was submitted as proof by those seeking action, Sugar Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.
However, during our probe it was found that this electronic evidence (video clips) could not establish that cane crushing was underway in the mill. But the mill could not give proof of receipts being given to farmers for the cane brought in or whether these were weighed, he said.
Since 900 tonnes of cane were found at the mill, a fine of Rs 500 per tonne, adding up to Rs 4.5 lakh, was imposed, Gaikwad added. Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Ram Shinde had raised this issue in the Legislative Council recently and had sought strict action against the sugar mill.