A fresh Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) has been registered against Maharashtra transport minister Anil Parab in an alleged money laundering case, on the basis of which the Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids at his various locations today.
Anil Parab (57), the state transport minister, is a three-time Shiv Sena politician in Maharashtra's legislative council. The ED action stems from charges that Parab purchased a plot of land in Dapoli in 2017 for ₹1 crore, but it was only registered in 2019. The agency is also looking into certain additional allegations.
The site was allegedly sold to Sadanand Kadam, a Mumbai-based cable company, for ₹1.10 crore in 2020. Between 2017 and 2020, a resort was built on the same property. An earlier probe by the Income Tax Department said that building of the resort began in 2017 and that over ₹6 crore was spent in cash on the project.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that Central investigation agencies had the right to search abd raid, but they should not misuse powers.
"Don't know why this action has been taken against State Minister Anil Parab. All I want to say is that action should be held in a transparent manner," Pawar said.
Anil Parab was previously questioned by the ED in connection with another money laundering case involving former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who informed ED authorities that Anil Parab had furnished him with unofficial police officer transfer lists.
An earlier case against Anil Parab, who was accused of corruption by BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha, was dismissed by Lokayukta Justice V M Kanade. The case was thrown out due to a "lack of evidence." Kotecha, on the other hand, claims he was denied "due justice" and plans to appeal to the Bombay High Court. The lawsuit concerns a tender process worth ₹250 crore to procure Electronic Ticket Issuing Machines for MSRTC buses.
