Patra Chawl scam: Sharad Pawar denies any role in the case

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has denied all allegations levelled against him by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar in the Patra Chawl case. However, he urged that the pobe should be thorough. Pawar, refuting the claims said, "The ED charge sheet and the allegations of the meeting I held in 2006 are false. However, a thorough probe should be conducted in the matter." Pawar also challenged the state government and asked them to announce what action will be initiated if the allegations are found to be false after the probe.

"It is not our position to say no to inquiry. The state government should announce what position will it take if this allegation is not based on reality and truth after investigation," he said. a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is in charge of the home department, Bhatkhalkar made a strong demand for a thorough investigation. He alleged Sharad Pawar held a meeting at the Yashwantrao Chavan Center when he was the Union Agriculture Minister to select the developer for the Patra Chawl redevelopment. In the Patra Chawl case, he has referred to Pawar as a "ring master".

The ED has arrested Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in the case for alleged money laundering. “The Enforcement Directorate has made a reference to former secretary of housing department. The charge sheet says then Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had held a meeting in Mumbai along with then chief minister. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was also present there, where the decision to allot the redevelopment work to Guru Ashish Construction company was taken,” the BJP leader alleged in the letter. As per the ED, the tenants of Patra Chawl, a sprawling tenement in suburban Goregaon in Mumbai, were supposed to get flats after redevelopment, but the flats were never constructed and Guru Ashish Company sold off FSI without permission.