Mumbai is on high alert following the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) investigation into a ₹169.6 crore scam allegedly fronted by Bharti Pawar, the wife of IAS officer Anil Pawar. The ED has filed a chargesheet naming Bharti Pawar as an accused, alleging she acted as a front for her husband, a former commissioner of the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), to launder illicit funds.
The investigation centers around illegal construction in the Vasai-Virar region, with the ED claiming the total proceeds of the crime amount to ₹300.92 crore, of which ₹169 crore is linked to Anil Pawar. The ED alleges that Anil Pawar accepted bribes in exchange for granting approvals and facilitating illegal construction projects. These bribes reportedly ranged from ₹20 to ₹25 per square foot of built-up area.
According to the ED, Bharti Pawar played a crucial role in moving the illegal funds into the legal financial system. The agency claims she became a partner, director, shareholder, and proprietor in various companies and firms to route the cash, portraying it as legitimate income. The ED also suggests that registering assets in the names of female relatives, including Pawar's daughters and mother-in-law, was a strategy to conceal control and create documented trails of funds.
The ED's chargesheet reveals details of the alleged lavish spending enabled by the scam. Investments were made in bullion and jewelry, contributing to an "ultra-luxurious life". The ED also uncovered WhatsApp chats between Anil Pawar and Y.S. Reddy, the former deputy director of town planning, which allegedly show Reddy purchasing expensive sarees and jewelry for Pawar's family. Further, the ED claims that bribe money was used to acquire costly personal items, including a pen worth ₹70,000 and an iPhone.
The ED alleges that cash was delivered to various locations, including Pawar's bungalow, often on Fridays before his trips to his hometown in Nashik or his residence in Pune. The agency claims that cash was also routed through relatives, who then established entities and acquired properties. These entities included real estate firms, warehousing chains, and consultancy services, allegedly used to legitimize the funds.
Bharti Pawar reportedly stated to the ED that she receives a monthly salary from four firms. However, the ED claims that firms where Bharti Pawar was a partner showed disproportionate income compared to their actual profits, suggesting that extra money represented cash bribes being converted into legitimate income. For example, in M/s Shrutika Enterprises, Bharti Pawar invested ₹38.5 lakh but received ₹98 lakh within three years, despite the firm having loans of ₹35 lakh and total liabilities exceeding ₹1.5 crore.
The ED's investigation has also led to the attachment of properties worth ₹71 crore linked to the illegal construction scam, with ₹44 crore belonging to Anil Pawar. Former deputy director of town planning, Y S Reddy, has also been arrested in connection with the case. The ED has identified a network of individuals involved in the scam, including chartered accountants, architects, builders, real estate agents, and brokers, who allegedly facilitated bribe payments or aided in bribe collection. One chartered accountant, Narendra Jain, was reportedly referred to as "postman" in internal cash delivery sheets, while Bharti Pawar was referred to as "madam".
Anil Pawar's lawyers have claimed that the ED's investigation is "cherry picking," alleging that commissioners from earlier periods and CIDCO authorities have not been investigated. However, the ED's investigation continues to uncover the intricate web of corruption and money laundering allegedly orchestrated by the Pawar family and their associates.
