"False Allegations": Sharad Pawar's Party Leader Over Questioning

After hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorarte in connection with the alleged IL&FS (Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited) scam, Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Jayant Patil on late Monday said he did not have any connection with the IL&FS and will cooperate with the federal agency.

Mr Patil addressed the media after nine long hours of questioning by the ED. "I have answered all questions they (ED) asked me. I will go whenever they call me again to join the probe. I don't have any connection with IL & FS. No money came into my account. I didn't take money from anyone.

"All the allegations are false, 'mera Daman saaf hai' (There is no stain on my character)," he added.

Earlier on Monday, NCP workers protested in Mumbai over the ED's summon to party leader Jayant Patil.

Aaditya Thackeray said that anyone who speaks against the injustice done by the government is being served with notice.

"Anyone who speaks against the injustice by the government is given notice. But I don't think Jayant Patil will be scared. We are the people who fight for the truth & we will stand with him, Aaditya Thackeray told reporters earlier on Monday.

The ED last week summoned Jayant Patil to appear before the agency on Monday, in the IL&FS case.

This was the second summons by the agency sent to the NCP leader in connection with the alleged IL&FS scam.

On May 11, the ED summoned Mr Patil to appear before the agency, to record his statement in the case. However, he later cited his busy schedule and requested ED for another date to appear before it.

He had sought 10 days' time from the federal agency.

The ED is probing the NCP Maharashtra chief's alleged involvement in dubious loans extended to Kohinoor CTNL by IL&FS, which filed for bankruptcy in 2018.

The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in IL&FS Group's loan and equity investment in Kohinoor CTNL, which is one of the defaulters.

Kohinoor CTNL is developing the Kohinoor Square tower in Dadar (West).

The ED began its probe into the IL&FS money laundering case in 2019 based on a First Information Report by Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

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