Kejriwal Accused of Suppressing 'Scam' Involving Sharad Pawar

Mumbai: After back-to-back press conferences accusing several top politicians of being behind scams, Arvind Kejriwal was at the receiving end with his former aide and lawyer-activist Y P Singh accusing him of suppressing the "Lavasa scandal" allegedly involving Sharad Pawar and his close relatives.

A former IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre, Singh, who had earlier worked in concert with Kejriwal, came down heavily on the latter for not "exposing" Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya and nephew Ajit Pawar despite being in the know of his involvement in the scam.

He alleged that Ajit Pawar, irrigation minister and nephew of Sharad Pawar, allotted 141 hectares (348 acres) of land belonging to Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation on a renewable lease of 30 years to the Lake City Corporation in 2002, violating a Supreme Court Judgement.

The company which later came to be known as Lavasa Corporation, a subsidiary of Hindustan Construction Company, was allotted the land at a monthly rent of Rs 23,000, Singh said.

Supriya Sule, now NCP MP from Baramati, and her husband Sadanand Sule, according to documents released by Singh, held 20.81 per cent shares in the company. He alleged that these shares were sold they made huge profits.

Kejriwal before the press meet said, "Singh is doing a good work and I respect him, why is he saying all of a sudden, I don't know."

Responding to Singh's remarks, IAC activist Manish Sisodia said they congratulate him on making these "revelations" and it is good if corrupt political bigshots are exposed.

"We don't exactly know why YP Singh is saying that we did not reveal documents against Sharad Pawar. He is a very good friend of ours. There is nothing like this," he said.