The Congress party launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of using a “washing machine” approach to absolve political allies of corruption charges. The criticism follows the Income Tax Department’s decision to release properties worth over Rs 1,000 crore belonging to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his family, after they were attached during a 2021 investigation.
Congress’s General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh took to X and wrote, “BJP’s washing machine is active; join hands with Modi and erase all stain.” Taking aim at the timing of the relief granted to Ajit Pawar, the Congress alleged that this pattern is consistent with the BJP’s handling of corruption allegations against political figures who align with the party.
The Congress highlighted several instances where politicians accused of corruption were allegedly exonerated after joining the BJP or its allies. In this regard, Jairam mentioned Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Narayan Rane, former Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Praful Patel, and Suvendu Adhikari.
Congress claimed that these examples reinforce the idea that “years-old cases are erased when they enter BJP’s washing machine,” suggesting leniency reserved for those who side with the ruling party.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav also criticised the development, stating, “Ajit Dada’s Rs 1,000 crore property was returned by the Income Tax Department, granting him a clean chit in the benami property case. This clearly shows how BJP ensures the safety of its allies.”
I-T Dept Releases Ajit Pawar’s Seized Assets In Benami Case
The Prevention of Benami Property Transactions Appellate Tribunal recently dismissed the benami property ownership allegations against Ajit Pawar and his family. The tribunal concluded that all transactions were legitimate, conducted through banking channels, and that there was no evidence of funds being transferred for benami acquisitions, news agency IANS reported.
Advocate Prashant Patil, representing Pawar, dismissed the charges as “baseless and motivated.” He also provided documentation to substantiate the claim that all payments were above board.
The Congress, however, sees the timing of this relief as politically motivated. Ajit Pawar had joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government earlier this year, a move that raised eyebrows within his own party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The I-T Department’s raids in 2021 had led to the attachment of assets, including a sugar factory in Satara, a flat in Delhi, and a resort in Goa. The properties were initially seized under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act.