Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday defended his son Parth Pawar against allegations of land purchase irregularities, arguing that the sub-registrar who registered the sale deed in question was to blame, The Indian Express reported.

The controversy centres on the sale of about 40 acres of land in Pune’s Koregaon Park, allegedly purchased by Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm co-owned by Parth Pawar.

The land, classified as Mahar Watan land, was historically granted to the Mahar Scheduled Caste community. Such land cannot be sold without the state government’s permission.

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar was asked by reporters in Pune district’s Baramati town why Parth Pawar had not put forward his stand on the matter. To this, the deputy chief minister said: “His father has put forth his stand.”

Ajit Pawar was further quoted as asking by The Indian Express: “How did the individual in the sub-registrar’s office register the deed? What prompted him to register and do the wrong job? We will come to know this through the probe.”

The Nationalist Congress Party leader hinted that the allegations were politically motivated and said: “When elections approach, these kinds of allegations are made against us.”

The sub-registrar, Ravindra Taru, has been suspended for alleged irregularities in the registration process of the land, The Indian Express reported. The official has also been accused of waiving stamp duty to the tune of Rs 21 crore in the Rs 300-crore deal.

On Friday, Ajit Pawar said his son and his business partner Digvijay Patil were not aware that the land parcel in question belonged to the government, and that the deal has now been cancelled.

The deputy chief minister said that the agreement was preliminary and no financial transaction had taken place. He added that no land has been taken into possession.

The Pune Police registered two first information reports in the matter on Thursday and Friday. The FIRs name Digvijay Patil, suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Taru, tehsildar Suryakant Yeole and power of attorney holder Shital Tejwani, the Hindustan Times reported.

However, Parth Pawar has not been named in the FIRs, even though he owns 99% of the firm Amadea Enterprises.

To questions about Parth Pawar being left out of the cases, Ajit Pawar said on Friday that this was because the FIRs only named those who were at the registrar’s office to sign the documents.

The office of the inspector general of registration said that the FIRs were filed only on the basis of documentary evidence available at the time, according to the Hindustan Times.

Joint Inspector General of Registration Rajendra Muthe said: “The FIR names Patil because he has signed all the documents. If we or the police later find any documents signed by others, necessary action will be taken against them as well.”

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