MUMBAI: Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday questioned NCP MLA Rohit Pawar for more than 11 hours in a money laundering case in connection with Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam while his party supporters shouted slogans the entire day. ED has summoned him again on Feb 1.
After leaving ED office, Rohit addressed his supporters, saying, “Pawar saheb (NCP chief Sharad Pawar) supports those who fight, not those who run away. I request you all to be ready for a long struggle.”
Wednesday became a show of strength for Rohit, who first met his granduncle Sharad Pawar at the NCP office and took his blessings before walking to ED office – around 100 metres away – with his aunt, MP Supriya Sule, around 11am. Hundreds of NCP supporters had gathered outside the party office. Police had put up barricades to prevent them from entering ED office. Rohit left ED office after 10pm.
Sule and some leaders waited the entire day for his return, except for taking short breaks. Several posters of Rohit Pawar came up in Ballard Estate where NCP and ED offices are situated. The posters read: “Despite the (ED) notice, Rohit will not change his ideology. Maharashtra will not bow down before Delhi.”
Around 250 policemen, including riot control police, were deployed to control the crowds. Around evening, as the supporters got aggressive and tried to remove the barricades, Sule requested them to maintain peace. Sule said, “Rohit will give a fight. People love and respect a leader who fights against the establishment.”
Sharad Pawar stationed himself the entire day at NCP office waiting for Rohit’s return. When Sharad Pawar was asked about his party leaders’ statements on ED action against opposition leaders before elections on instructions of the ruling party, Pawar said, “It does not matter to us, we will fight against it.”
ED is probing a money laundering case against Rohit Pawar based on an FIR registered by Mumbai police in MSCB loan scam. Earlier, cops had filed a closure report before court giving a clean chit to those involved in the case. After CM Eknath Shinde formed a the government along with BJP in 2022, Mumbai police submitted an application before court stating they want to re-investigate Rohit and his MLA uncle Ajit in the scam.
