Mumbai, February 28 – The special court's acceptance of the closure report in the Rs 25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case marks a significant turning point in Maharashtra's political and legal landscape.
This development is significant, coming barely a month after the death of former Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28.
With the court effectively closing the case, Ajit Pawar's name has now been cleared posthumously, offering legal and political relief to his family and the current NCP leadership. This decision benefits nearly 70 individuals, including Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and MLA Rohit Pawar.
For the NCP, this ruling is being seen as a major political boost and the culmination of a decade-long legal battle. A senior party leader described the timing as "coincidental but symbolic," noting that the clean chit comes exactly a month after Ajit Pawar's untimely demise.
"Removing this Rs 25,000 crore 'black mark' allows Sunetra Pawar, now the National President of the NCP and Deputy Chief Minister, to lead the party without the shadow of investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) looming over her family," the leader said.
Another senior NCP functionary associated with Maharashtra's cooperative sector for over two decades said the verdict allows the party to reshape Ajit Pawar's political narrative.
"By clearing these decade-old allegations, the NCP can now portray him as a victim of 'persecution' rather than 'corruption'," he said.
The case pertained to alleged irregularities between 2007 and 2011 involving the loan disbursement by MSCB to sugar factories and spinning mills.
Investigators had alleged that loans were extended to financially stressed units, which were later auctioned at throwaway prices upon default, with buyers allegedly linked to bank directors. The alleged loss to the bank was estimated at Rs 25,000 crore.
For years, the BJP, while in opposition, had used the MSCB case as a political weapon against the NCP and the Congress. However, after Ajit Pawar joined the ruling MahaYuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP factions, the state's EOW -- which reports to the Home Ministry -- filed a closure report stating that no criminal offence was established.
This move drew sharp criticism from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which accused the ruling alliance of practising "washing machine politics", alleging that corruption charges vanish once leaders join the government.
Notably, Rohit Pawar's name had also surfaced in the ED's version of the case. With the EOW case now closed, legal experts suggest the ED may face pressure to reconsider or withdraw its proceedings, potentially easing intra-family and intra-party tensions.
Politically, the clean chit could consolidate the Pawar family's influence within Maharashtra's powerful cooperative network, including the MSC Bank, without the lingering cloud of corruption allegations.
Observers say that by clearing leaders across political factions -- including those aligned with camps led by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray -- the verdict may also soften political hostilities and open doors for future realignments.
For the NCP, the closure not only removes a longstanding legal burden but also offers an opportunity to redefine Ajit Pawar's public image -- from one mired in controversy to one portrayed as having endured prolonged political targeting.
