Rahul Gandhi questions timing as ED names Sharad Pawar in bank scam

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday has come out in support of NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) stalwart Sharad Pawar after he was named in the ECIR (FIR) filed by the ED in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam case. In the tweet, Rahul Gandhi alleged that Sharad Pawar is the latest Opposition 'targeted by the government'. He further questioned the timing of ED actions, linking it with the upcoming Maharashtra elections, adding that it reeks of "political opportunism".

Read Rahul Gandhi's tweet here:

READ | Sharad Pawar goes to ED office, Section 144 in parts of South Mumbai

Sharad Pawar to go to ED office

With the NCP chief going to ED office in Mumbai for questioning in the case, the police have imposed Section 144 of CrPC outside the ED office at Ballard Pier, along with other parts the area. He had, on September 25, confirmed that he will be visiting the ED office for questioning in the bank scam case. With NCP workers staging protests in Mumbai in the light of the development, Mumbai Police imposed Section 144 to prohibit movement of groups of people. Taking to Twitter, Sharad Pawar had also urged NCP cadre to not gather near the ED office premise and cooperate with the police and agencies. 

READ | Sharad Pawar tweets confirming his visit to ED office on Friday

What is the case?

On September 24, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar and others were named by the ED in its ECIR filed in the Rs 25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case. Officials claimed that the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) has been registered by the central agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The scam involves the allegations that the then top executives i.e. chairman, MDs, directors, CEOs, managerial staff of the bank and office bearers and directors of Shakhar Karkhanas (cooperative sugar factories), Soot Girnis and other processing units were given loans in a fraudulent manner by MSC bank. It has been alleged that in the process of loan sanctions, several illegalities were committed. 

Maharashtra Assembly elections

Sharad Pawar is in trouble weeks ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections. With elections weeks away, NCP leader Sharad Pawar had revealed his party's seat share alliance with the Congress party in Maharashtra. Pawar had tweeted to say that both NCP and Congress will contest 125 seats each in the Maharashtra Assembly polls. He also said that the remaining 38 seats will be given to smaller allies across the state. Elections in the state will be held on October 21, along with Haryana in a single phase, whereas the counting of votes will take place on October 24 for both states.

READ | Sharad Pawar: "I will go to ED office & co-operate with investigation"

READ | NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in the dock; here's why he's named in ED FIR