Congress seeks to play down charges against Sharad Pawar

NEW DELHI: Congress today appeared to play down the charges against Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and his family of allegedly being involved in illegal land acquisitions in Lavasa, India's first planned hill city project in Maharashtra.

"I think the Agriculture Minister has made his clarification. He did respond to what has been averred. Moreover, the matter is sub-judice", party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters when asked whether Congress wanted Pawar to come clean on the controversy.

The NCP chief has claimed some 300 acres of land were given to the project in his home district of Pune as part of the hill station policy of Maharashtra.

Pawar has been sought to be put into the dock by a former Police officer Y P Singh who alleged the Union Minister and his family are involved in illegal land acquisitions in Lavasa.