Mumbai: In a huge relief for Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the Income Tax department cleared properties worth over Rs 1,000 crore seized in 2021 benami case.
This development came after the Prevention of Benami Property Transactions Appellate Tribunal in Delhil dismissed allegations that Pawar and his family owned benami properties due to lack of sufficient evidence. “There is no evidence to suggest that Ajit Pawar or his family transferred funds to acquire benami properties…The material produced by the appellant does not show any benami transaction…it’s not that Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, and Parth Pawar transferred funds to procure benami properties,” it stated.
The ruling coincided with his swearing-in as the Deputy CM along with alongside Sena’s Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister on Thursday.
Several properties, including a sugar factory in Satara, a flat in Delhi, a resort in Goa and and land parcels at 27 different locations in Maharashtra were attached following the I-T department raid at several locations linked to the NCP leader and his family on October 7, 2021, over allegations that he held benami assets.