Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar appear to be on different pages over the controversial Pune land deal involving Pawar’s son, Parth Pawar.
While Ajit Pawar claimed that the deal “stands cancelled,” Fadnavis clarified that the transaction has not yet been completed, as the stamp duty remains unpaid — a prerequisite before any cancellation or further legal action can take place.
Speaking to reporters on Friday evening, Fadnavis said, “To cancel the deal, it first needs to be completed. To complete the transaction, the stamp duty must be paid. Only thereafter can further processes be initiated.”
Earlier, Ajit Pawar had asserted that not a single rupee had been paid in connection with the land transaction and that the deal “stands cancelled.” However, Fadnavis later clarified that without payment of the stamp duty, the deal cannot be deemed valid or invalid.
Former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, took a swipe at the ruling regime, accusing it of making a “mockery” of a serious fraud case. In a veiled attack on Ajit Pawar, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, “The claims made to cover up the case are contradictory. Pawar says the deal is cancelled — but how can a deal be cancelled when it never happened?”
Meanwhile, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, addressed the issue of the police not registering a case against Parth Pawar, who holds a 99 percent stake in the company that purchased the disputed land originally owned by the Maharashtra government.
“An FIR has been filed against the company. All signatory authorities will be probed, and those involved will be booked. As the investigation progresses and new names emerge, they will be added to the FIR,” Fadnavis said.
