Land deal case: Maharashtra ACB gives clean chit to BJP leader Eknath Khadse

The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) that was investigating the land deal involving one of BJP’s senior leader and former Minister Eknath Khadse has submitted a report to a special Court in Pune saying that the allegations of ‘misuse of power and position as minister’ have not been proved.

The ACB has now submitted saying that there was no evidence to file a chargesheet against the former minister and his family members.

Khadse had to resign in June 2016 after it transpired that his wife Mandakini and his son in law Girish Chaudhari had bought a property that was already acquired by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).


The move was controversial for two reasons; one Khadse’s family members brought the property for `3.75 crore while one of the complainants in the case a social activist cum builder Hemant Gawande has claimed that the land was worth at least `40 crore.

Secondly, Khadse himself held a meeting with the MIDC and Revenue department officials asking the original owner to be given compensation. The MIDC all along has been maintaining that the land belongs to it and the sale of the land to Khadse’s family by the owner one Abbas Ukani was illegal.