Those in power had expectations from NCP leaders which were not fulfilled, says Pawar on Jayant Patil’s questioning by ED

Sharad Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, while speaking in Pune on Monday said that action has been taken against at least ten of his colleagues in the past few days and that those in power have expectations from his party leaders that they would not, under any circumstances, fulfil.

The NCP chief’s remarks came on the day when party state unit chief Jayant Patil was called for questioning at Enforcement Directorate (ED) office at Ballard Pier in Mumbai.

Pawar reiterated that the action against Patil, who was summoned by the central investigation agency in a money laundering case related to IL&FS firm, once again shows how “institutions are being misused by those in power.”

“We have compiled a list which shows that so far NCP’s ten important leaders have been called either for inquiry or other purposes by agencies while there have been actions too against some of them,” Pawar said to a query on Patil’s questioning by ED.

When asked why NCP leaders are only being targeted by probe agencies, Pawar said, there is a possibility that those in power have expectations from NCP leaders.

“We are not ready to fulfil the expectations even if we have to pay whatever price. We will not leave our path. And since they are not liking it, such pain is being inflicted on our leaders,” the NCP chief said.

Besides Patil, other NCP leaders on central probe agencies’ radar are Hasan Mushrif, Nawab Malik, and Anil Deshmukh. While Mailk is still behind bars, Deshmukh was released on bail in December 2022.

The NCP chief claimed action against former NCB former zonal head Sameer Wankhede by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has vindicated Nawab Malik’s stand. The CBI recently registered an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Wankhede for allegedly demanding ₹50 lakh from actor Shah Rukh Khan in the October 2021 drugs-on-cruise case involving his son Aryan.

According to Pawar, what happened with Deshmukh clearly showed those in government misusing power. “There were accusations made out against Deshmukh about ₹100 crore, but in the chargesheet, the figure was reduced to ₹1 crore. The allegations were exaggerated and defamed him. It also showed those in government misusing their power,” Pawar said.

On being asked about Maharashtra government withdrawing all charges against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, Pawar said, “There is an attempt to shield those involved in wrongdoing.”

Reacting to action against Patil and allegations of misuse of power, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Central and state agencies are acting on their own. If Patil has not done anything wrong, he need not fear.”