Sharad Pawar Challenges PIL Seeking CBI Probe in Lavasa Project in Bombay High Court

NCP’s founder, Sharad Pawar, has moved Bombay High Court challenging Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an advocate. The PIL requested a CBI investigation into alleged illegalities involving Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule, and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar regarding permissions granted for a private hill station project at Lavasa in Pune district.

Through his representative, advocate Joel Carlos, Sharad Pawar has submitted an application to be included as a respondent in the PIL. This move aims to enable Pawar to present his arguments against the allegations raised in the petition.

The PIL, initiated by lawyer Nanasaheb Jadhav, calls for the CBI to initiate a case against the aforementioned individuals and certain state officials over purported irregularities. Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, representing Sharad Pawar, informed the court that similar accusations had been previously made by Jadhav, which were addressed and dismissed by the high court in 2022. Jadhav then escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, where it remains pending. Despite this, Jadhav has filed a fresh petition for a CBI inquiry, which Pawar contends is based on already addressed claims.

In his application, Pawar asserts the necessity of his involvement in the proceedings to ensure a fair hearing, given the serious allegations against him. He argues that his inclusion as a respondent would not prejudice Jadhav but would prevent injustice towards himself.

The bench has instructed Jadhav to submit his response to Pawar’s application within two weeks, with further proceedings scheduled for four weeks later. The high court had previously declined to intervene in Jadhav’s earlier petition regarding permissions for the Lavasa project but acknowledged potential influence exerted by Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule.

Jadhav subsequently appealed this decision to the Supreme Court. In his recent PIL, filed in 2023, Jadhav reiterated his allegations and highlighted the lack of action from Pune police on a complaint he filed in 2018 against Pawar and others regarding the Lavasa project.

The NCP, established by Sharad Pawar in 1999, witnessed a division last year when his nephew Ajit Pawar aligned with the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde.