MSCB scam: Mumbai police stands by closure report

The Mumbai police on Fridaydefended its closure report in the Rs 25,000 crore MaharashtraState Cooperative Bank scam, in which state Deputy ChiefMinister Ajit Pawar was one of the accused, and said it wasnot concerned with anyone's ''political affiliation'' but theillegal acts, if any, committed by them.

The economic offences wing (EOW) of Mumbai police wasresponding to a protest petition, filed by original informantin the case Surinder Arora, against the closure report.

In its reply, Mumbai police said it has inquired intoeach and every allegation made by the complainant, and addedthat the allegations made in the present protest petition were''baseless'' and have been made to sensationalise the case.

''The investigating agency takes it as a strongexception to the averments of the protest petitioner makingfalse, baseless and defamatory charges of corruption againstthe investigation team,'' it said.

''The investigating agency, while investigating thecase, was not concerned with anyone's political affiliationbut were concerned with the illegal acts, if any, committed bythem constituting criminal offence,'' it added.

The EOW further said, during the course of the probe,it had not come across any material pinpointing any specificallegations against any specific person, director or officerof the MSCB, or any unlawful gain or undue pecuniary advantagereceived by an individual of MSCB.

The EOW had filed an FIR in the case under sections406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of IPC, thePrevention of Corruption Act, and Securitisation andReconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of SecurityInterest Act.

The case pertained to loans running into severalthousand crore rupees obtained by sugar cooperatives, spinningmills and other entities from district and cooperative banks.

The FIR, registered following a High Court order, hadnamed Dy CM Pawar and some 70 others.

As per the FIR, the state exchequer suffered losses ofRs 25,000 crore between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017due to irregularities in the bank.