Raju Shetty names political heavyweights in police complaint over selling of 42 sugar mills in Maharashtra

PUNE: As a pre-requisite for taking it to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana (SSS) registered a police complaint against the sugar barons of Maharashtra, which include top leaders of BJP, NCP and Congress. It has alleged that these leader bought co-operative sugar mills, valued at more than Rs 10,000 crore at throw away price.

"Our complaint is about the 42 sugar co-operatives which have been sold by the banks to recover their dues. While working out the valuation of the mills, the banks considered the value of the land at the time of setting up of the mill. Where as, the value should have been based on the prevailing ready reckoner rate. The tendering process was also not transparent," alleged Raju Shetty, leader of SSS, who registered the complaint at Shivaji Nagar police station in Pune today.

Shetty, along with social activist Anna Hazare and Medha Patkar had protested on the same issue about two years ago. "At that time, the present chief minister of the state, who was in opposition then, had supported our agitation. Now he too seems helpless to take any action," said Shetty.

He said that if the police accept his complaint as an FIR, it will help his to take the matter to the ED. "However, if the police do not take action, then we will go to the High Court requesting it to give directions to the ED to investigate the matter," he said.

"The co-operative mills were deliberately allowed to become sick. We want to understand the mystery of how the same sugar sick sugar mills, after going into private hands, became profit making and could undertake expansion," he said.