Ajit Pawar Cleared Of Benami Property Charges In Major Relief, IT Dept Releases Seized Assets – News18

Last Updated:December 07, 2024, 08:16 IST

The development comes as Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Thursday in the new Mahayuti government.

In a major relief to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, he and his family were cleared of benami property ownership allegations. An order in this regard was passed by the Prevention of Benami Property Transactions Appellate Tribunal, a day after Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy CM on Thursday.

After the order, the Income Tax Department on Friday cleared properties worth over Rs 1,000 crore that were sealed in 2021 during searches.

What Was The Case Against Ajit Pawar?

The case dates back to October 7, 2021, when the IT Department raided several locations linked to Ajit Pawar and his family. It was alleged that they held properties through benami transactions.

The department had seized properties which included multiple land parcels across Maharashtra, a flat in Delhi, Jarandeshwar Sugar Factory in Satara, and a resort in Goa.

What Was The Tribunal Verdict?

Delivering the verdict, the tribunal said that it found no substantial evidence against Pawar owning the benami properties. It said that all financial transactions for the concerned properties were made through legitimate channels, either using bank transfers or other legal medium.

“There is no evidence to suggest that Ajit Pawar or his family transferred funds to acquire benami properties,” the tribunal said.

Advocate Prashant Patil who represented Pawar argued that his family had not committed any wrongdoing and the allegations were baseless and did not have any legal standing under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act.

He highlighted that all property transactions were conducted through legitimate channels, including banking systems, with no discrepancies in the records provided. The tribunal underlined that the evidence submitted by the Income Tax Department failed to demonstrate any connection between the Pawar family and benami properties.