Former Revenue Minister and BJP MLA Eknath Khadse today raised in the Legislative Assembly the issue of validity of a 1995 circular related to acquisition of a plot of land near Pune, for which he is under scanner.
The BJP leader had stepped down as Revenue Minister last year, in the wake of the allegations that he had grabbed a plot of land owned by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) at Bhosri.
The 1995 circular is related to acquisition of the concerned plot and its ownership.
Khadse's contention is that the said plot was not owned by the MIDC.
He posed a query in this regard to the Industries Minister Subhash Desai, seeking his reply.
However, Desai evaded a direct reply, saying the land acquisition issue is sub-judice.
"As per my information, the circular is still active. But, I want an answer from the state government. If the minister does not have any information, then he should seek it from the department concerned and table it before the House," Khadse said.
As Khadse insisted on reply from Desai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened and said, "The state government will seek details of the circular from the Law department, and will place the details before the Assembly accordingly."
Pune-based builder Hemant Gawande had claimed that Khadse had purchased land in the MIDC area of Bhosari worth crores at a paltry rate by abusing his power. However, Khadse had argued that the plot was freehold land and his family had the right to purchase it.
The state government-appointed Justice Zoting Committee is probing the allegations of land grab against Khadse.
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