Anna Hazare: “I am surprised over Sharad Pawar’s name figuring in bank scam”

Social activist Anna Hazare has expressed surprise over NCP president Sharad Pawar’s naming popping up in the multi-crore Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank scam.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case against Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar a former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and others in connection with the scam.

An Enforcement Case Information Report, equivalent to a police FIR, has been registered by the central agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The case is based on a Mumbai Police FIR which had named former chairmen of the bank, Ajit Pawar, and 70 former functionaries of the cooperative lender.

“When this case came to me, Sharad Pawar’s name was not there anywhere. How did his name crop up, who mentioned his name, all these things only they know,” said Hazare on Thursday when asked about the ED case.

The anti-corruption advocate, a Pawar critic, expressed the hope the truth will come out after the ED carries out a detailed investigation in the scam. “The ED will come to know how his name figured in the case,” said Hazare, a veteran of many anti-corruption agitations.

Pawar has denied any wrongdoing and said he was not associated with the bank in any capacity and questioned the timing of the registration of the case which comes just weeks ahead of the October 21 Assembly polls in Maharashtra.

The NCP has termed the ED case as politically motivated.