The Enforcement Directorate raided the property of Ram Ganesh Gadkari sakhar Karkhana (Sugar factory), belonging to Minister of State for Energy Prajakt Tanpure.
Although details of the seizure by the ED is not known, it is learnt that the property worth Rs 13.49 crore is under scanner.
Tanpure is the third minister belonging to Nationalist Congress Party, who is facing ED raid. Earlier former home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Minorities Minister Nawab Malik were arrested by the ED.
ED has attached 4.5 acres of land of Tanpure and 90 acres of land belonging to the Sugar Factory. The raids are in connection with Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank fraud. Tanpure has been charged with money laundering.
Tanpure was holding an influential position in the Bank, when it sold the Sugar Factory at throwaway price. The factory owned loan from the Bank, which it could not repay.
The bank in Saoner was earlier owned by former Maharashtra Minister Ranjit Deshmukh. The factory was auctioned and purchased by Tanpure’s company Prasad Sugar and Allied Agro Products Ltd for Rs 12.95 crore against the reserve price of Rs 26.32 crore. The ED has found that Tanpure’s company was the lone bidder. But MSCB management added fraud bidders to complete the formalities. ED has earlier recorded Tanpure’s statement and are investigating further.
