Even as the election campaign in Maharashtra heats up, the Enforcement Directorate registered a case against Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar, his nephew and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other NCP leaders in connection with the Rs20,000-crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam. In his public rallies, Pawar, who was never a director of the bank, has been saying that the ED is being used by the ruling party to intimidate the opposition. In an interview with THE WEEK, Pawar says that the people of Maharashtra are questioning the timing of the case. Edited excerpts:
Q/ Do you think this case was filed because of pressure from the prime minister and home minister? Is it a political vendetta?
A/ I have been travelling a lot in Maharashtra. My meetings and rallies are getting very good response. I will not be able to comment on the motive, but a large number of people are suspecting exactly what you asked.
MSC Bank is a big institution. It has had a number of directors from all political parties. The late Pandurang Fundkar from the BJP was director of the bank, so was the father of the current Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal. The Shiv Sena’s Anandrao Adsul, too. I have never been associated with any bank in my career.
Maharashtra will go to polls in a few weeks. The case was filed after the process of elections started and code of conduct came into force. People are raising questions about the timing. I think the people of Maharashtra are wise. They will understand.
Q/ You said you will visit the ED office on September 27 and cooperate fully. Why are you going without being summoned?
A/ I came to know about the case from media reports. I am a person who believes in the Constitution. I have full faith in the process of law. I have a very hectic schedule because of the election campaign. I do not want the agency to say later on that I was unavailable for questioning. So I have decided to visit the ED office on September 27 at 2:00pm. I am willing to face their ‘hospitality’ and provide all information.
Q/ Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse has said that he was following up on this scam when they were in the opposition (prior to 2014) and that there was no mention of your name at that time.
A/ He was leader of opposition when he was following up on the case. He will obviously know more about which names were there earlier and which were added later on.