Eknath Khadse in Land Fraud Controversy

Eknath Khadse, an MLC from the Nationalist Congress Party, and his daughter have been booked for allegedly cheating an elderly woman through a fraudulent land deal in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district. Police investigations revealed that the land, classified as 'Mahar Watan,' was illegally possessed using forged papers. Khadse denies wrongdoing, calling it political vendetta.

Eknath Khadse, a seasoned politician from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and his daughter have found themselves in legal trouble after being accused of cheating Chamelibai Tukaram Tayade, an elderly woman from Jalgaon district, Maharashtra. The allegations involve illegally acquiring 'Mahar Watan' land by using forged documentation, police confirmed on Monday.

The controversy gained momentum when the victim lodged a formal complaint with the Jalgaon district Superintendent of Police, prompting a probe by the Economic Offences Wing. The investigation led to the registration of a case against Khadse and his daughter under multiple legal provisions, including fraud, cheating, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, due to the victim's Dalit status.

In response, Khadse dismissed the accusations as a politically motivated vendetta, arguing his innocence and pointing to the decades-old nature of the land deal. He alleged that his involvement was fabricated with the intent of tarnishing his reputation. Despite these claims, detailed records show the land, originally gifted land to Mahar community members, remains at the center of the controversy.

(With inputs from agencies.)