Sharad Pawar Backs Probe Into Land Deal Linked To Grandnephew Parth Pawar, Cites CM Fadnavis’ Remarks

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed support for an inquiry into the controversial land transaction allegedly connected to a company owned by his grandnephew, Parth Pawar. Pawar referred to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ comments that the issue was “serious.”

“The chief minister has said publicly that the matter is serious. So he should conduct a probe and put the facts before society,” Pawar told reporters.

The controversy concerns the purported illegal sale of 40 acres of government land in Pune’s Mundhwa area. The plot, valued at approximately ₹1,800 crore, was allegedly sold for just ₹300 crore to a company linked to Parth Pawar, the son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, with an alleged waiver on stamp duty.

Ajit Pawar has distanced himself from the deal.

When asked if Ajit Pawar was being politically targeted by allies within the ruling Mahayuti coalition, Sharad Pawar replied, “I wouldn’t know.”

The senior Pawar also appeared to differ from his daughter and NCP MP Supriya Sule’s comments defending Parth. Sule had said she did not believe Parth would do anything wrong. “This could be her (Supriya’s) view,” Sharad Pawar said.

Emphasising the separation between politics, administration, and family matters, he added, “As a family, we (Pawars) are one, but we are divided ideologically. One of my grandnephews had contested against Ajit Pawar, and Ajit Pawar’s wife had contested against my daughter.”

Speaking on the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra, Pawar said the strategy would be decided jointly by the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies.

“We (NCP-SP) are meeting tomorrow and will take a call on our strategy and on inducting new partners in our fold,” he added.

With PTI inputs