Maharashtra: Two BJP netas in Beed land scam, says Nawab Malik

MUMBAI: NCP spokesperson and skill development minister Nawab Malik on Tuesday targeted Marathwada BJP leaders Suresh Dhas and Bhimrao Dhonde for usurping lands belonging to religious trusts in Beed district. Dhas was a trusted aide of senior NCP leader and social justice minister Dhananjay Munde. A year ago, he defected to BJP, while Dhonde is a former BJP legislator.
“My information is that 513 acres of land belonging to 10 religious trusts has been grabbed by indulging in benami transactions.I have been told that the entire transaction is more than Rs 1,000 crore. The land is located in Ashti tehsil in Beed district. All the transactions have been brought to the notice of ED by a local activist. I am sure ED will step in to initiate criminal proceedings against the BJP leaders,” Malik said.
Malik said that on the scrutiny of papers it was found that land belonging to three Muslim trusts and seven Hindu temples illegally changed hands and even the names on the land records have been changed. “The two BJP leaders created plots on the lands and sold them. It involves a transaction of more than Rs 1,000 crore,” Malik said.
Malik said it involves acres of land belonging to the Waqf board and few temples in Ashti tehsil. “It was brought to our notice that it all began in 2017 when Devendra Fadnavis was the CM and continued till 2020. We have brought the fraudulent transactions to the notice of home minister Dilip Walse Patil, who has set up a special investigation team,” he said.
Malik said after the SIT was set up, two offences have been registered. It was found that a multi-state co-op society too was involved in the scam and huge funds were transferred in the accounts of a few persons.