HC asks for case to be filed against NCP's Ajit Pawar in bank scam

Bombay High Court directed Mumbai Police's Ecomic Offences Wing (EOW) on Thursday to register an FIR against NCP leer Ajit Pawar and over 70 ors in Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case.

court held that prima facie, re was "credible evidence" against m in case.

A bench of Justices S C Dharmhikari and S K Shinde directed EOW to file FIR within next five days.

Besides former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, those accused in case include NCP leer Jayant Patil and several senior cooperative bank officials from 34 districts in state.

accused allegedly were complicit in causing losses worth Rs 1,000 crore to MSCB between 2007 and 2011.

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A subsequent inspection conducted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and a charge sheet filed by a quasi-judicial inquiry commission under Maharashtra Cooperative Societies (MCS) Act blamed Pawar and or accused, including several directors of bank.

It said ir decisions, actions and inactions caused such losses to bank.

NABARD's audit report revealed breach of several banking laws and RBI guidelines by accused in distribution of loans to sugar factories and spinning mills, and subsequent default on repayment and recovery of such loans.

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At that time, Pawar was director of bank.

However,despite inspection reports, FIR was filed in case.

Local activist Surinder Arora filed a complaint with EOW in case in 2015 and approached high court, seeking that an FIR be registered.

On Thursday, Bombay high court held that prima facie, NABARD's inspection report, complaint, and charge sheet under MCS Act showed re existed "credible evidence" against accused in case. 

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