top of page

By:

Correspondent

21 August 2024 at 3:50:16 pm

Power Shield

When a 99 percent shareholder is not been made an accused in a controversial land deal but a one percent shareholder has been named as one, an investigation has some explaining to do. The Bombay High Court has now demanded that very explanation in the Mundhwa land case involving NCP MP Parth Pawar, son of the late Ajit Pawar, raising the eternal question whether political influence quietly alters the way in which the law of the land is applied. A democracy cannot have one standard of scrutiny...

Power Shield

When a 99 percent shareholder is not been made an accused in a controversial land deal but a one percent shareholder has been named as one, an investigation has some explaining to do. The Bombay High Court has now demanded that very explanation in the Mundhwa land case involving NCP MP Parth Pawar, son of the late Ajit Pawar, raising the eternal question whether political influence quietly alters the way in which the law of the land is applied. A democracy cannot have one standard of scrutiny for the politically connected and another for everyone else. Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP, holds 99 percent of Amadea Enterprises LLP, the company that acquired the disputed land. The remaining 1 percent is held by Digvijay Patil, another partner and director who has been named as an accused. The land in question is a large government-controlled parcel in Pune. The company that acquired it is overwhelmingly owned by Pawar. The land is in Mundhwa, an increasingly valuable area of eastern Pune that has been transformed by the city’s rapid expansion. The parcel covers about 40 acres and has a complicated legal history. It was classified as Mahar Watan land - a historical category of land grant - and was in government possession and leased to the Botanical Survey of India. The FIR in the case alleges that it was transferred to Amadea Enterprises without the mandatory approval of the state government at knockoff prices far beyond market value. The transaction has subsequently faced scrutiny on several fronts. Authorities imposed about Rs. 21 crore in stamp duty and penalties on Amadea Enterprises; the company’s appeal against that order was rejected. A Pune civil court also ordered the sale deed cancelled, declaring it void from the beginning. So, what evidence led investigators to make such a stark distinction between the two shareholders? What was the precise basis on which investigators concluded that Pawar’s overwhelming stake in the company did not warrant the same scrutiny? The High Court had already raised the issue in September after a submission before it alleged that Pawar had not been named because he was “very highly influential.” The state is expected to protect public land, enforce its own rules and investigate alleged wrongdoing without fear or favour. Yet when the transaction involves the son of a senior political figure, the machinery of the state must now explain why its investigation appears to have stopped short of the person with the overwhelming economic interest in the company. Power is supposed to make public officials more accountable, not less. Political office is not a private shield and family connections are not a legal exemption. The ultimate scandal in the Mundhwa case would be the possibility that proximity to power can determine who gets investigated, who gets protected and who gets left carrying the blame.

US Vice President JD Vance, his family arrive in Delhi

PTI
Apr 21, 2025
2 min read


NEW DELHI: US Vice President J D Vance arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit to India against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between the two strategic partners to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance is accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri and their three children Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel and a delegation of senior US government officials.


The US Vice President and the Second Lady were received at the Palam air base by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.


The American leader was also accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival.

In the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for the Vances after holding wide-ranging talks with the US Vice President.


External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi at the talks.


The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries.


Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.


New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance and his family are scheduled to leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are staying at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.


On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites in Jaipur, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.


In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.


Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.


The US Vice President and his family will travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, people familiar with the matter said.


In Agra, they will visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.


After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur on the second half of April 23.


The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

Comments

bottom of page