Tejwani remanded, Opposition slams government for no action against Parth Pawar
A Pune court on Thursday remanded Sheetal Tejwani, an accused in the alleged Rs 300-crore Pune land scam, to police custody until December 11. Tejwani, arrested on Wednesday, is the first major arrest in the case. She is accused of entering into a Rs 300-crore agreement to sell a 40-acre government land parcel to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm linked to Parth Pawar and Digvijay Patil. The Opposition has questioned the government over the absence of action against deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth.
Tejwani was produced before the Pune sessions court on Thursday afternoon. Her counsel argued for bail, which the prosecution opposed. After hearing both sides, the court remanded her to police custody.
During the proceedings, Tejwani, who was standing in the dock, complained of dizziness, following which the judge permitted her to sit.
Police sought the maximum period of custody, citing her alleged non-cooperation. Investigators claimed that she refused to assist in the probe. Her mobile phone has been seized, but she allegedly declined to share the password. She also reportedly did not furnish details of her financial or business transactions relevant to the inquiry, the police said.
According to investigators, Tejwani had entered into a Rs 300-crore deal to sell the land on behalf of 272 purported owners, even though the 40-acre parcel is government property leased to the Botanical Survey of India.
Police have also served a notice to Digvijay Patil, a partner in the firm, and are scheduled to question him. The Opposition, however, criticised the government for not initiating action against Parth Pawar, who reportedly holds 99 per cent stake in the company, with Patil holding the remaining one per cent.
Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “The arrest of Sheetal Tejwani in the Pune land scam case, while the owner of the purchasing company ‘Amedia’, Parth Pawar, faces no action, clearly indicates the immense protection that the Chief Minister is providing to the Baramatikars.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, said, “The man with only a one per cent stake in the company is in the accused’s dock, but no action has been taken against the person who owns 99 per cent.”
Mr. Danve added that the directors of Amadea Enterprises LLP should also be arrested. “Parth Pawar and Digvijay Patil, too, should be arrested in the case. If the person who sold the land is an accused, then the one who purchased it is also an accused. Stamp duty waiver in this case could not have happened without political pressure. Ajit Pawar must resign over the matter. The Opposition will press for his sacking in the upcoming winter session of the Maharashtra legislature,” he said.