Sharad Pawar involved in massive irrigation scam, says former cop

Mumbai, 18 Oct 2012 (IANS): Former IPS officer-turned-activist Y.P. Singh Thursday accused union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar of being at the centre of a massive irrigation scam in Maharashtra.

 

Y.P. Singh also slammed India Against Corruption (IAC) leader Arvind Kejriwal for his selective exposures against politicians and alleged that he did not reveal all the information pertaining to the scam that they had both worked to expose.

 

"IAC had all information pertaining to the irrigation scam in Maharashtra but Kejriwal did not reveal all the facts. He has been selective in his revelations," he told media persons here.

 

The former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer also accused Kejriwal of taking his favour in the name of anti-corruption movement and using the documents for "personal political advancement".

 

"In the name of IAC/NGO Kejriwal got legal documentation done by me for central ministers. But he used them for his political career," he said.

 

Y.P. Singh’s claims came a day after Kejriwal targeted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari, accusing him of receiving personal favours by getting around 100 acres of agriculture land in Maharashtra after the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government there allegedly bent rules to favour him.

 

Targeting Pawar over the Lavasa Corporation case, he claimed that the agriculture minister was at the centre of the real scam.

 

An associate of Y.P. Singh also pointed out that Kejriwal’s contention that the farmers’ land that was acquired should be returned to the farmers was against Supreme Court guidelines.

 

"According to the apex court, such land cannot be returned to the farmers as it has already been purchased from them. There has to be a public auction of such land," said Abha Singh, who is also a lawyer.

 

Y.P. Singh levelled several other charges against Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule and his nephew and former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

 

He said that Ajit Pawar had given land for Lavasa project at a throwaway price.

 

"Ajit Pawar granted 341 acres to Lake City Corp on 30 years lease at just Rs.23,000 per month. In Mumbai, the smallest one bedroom house is not available for that price," he said.

 

He alleged that 20.81 percent shares of Lake City Corp Lavasa belonged to Supriya Sule and her husband Sadanand. "Ajit Pawar gave the land to this company virtually free. In 2006, Sule and her husband sold shareholding - but at what cost," Singh questioned, stating that Supriya had made huge gains in the land deal.