EXCLUSIVE: Deputy CM Pawar Under Persistent Legal Siege in Landmark ₹25,000 Crore Banking Scandal

Intelligence analysis confirms Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar remains under intense legal examination in the monumental ₹25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scandal. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally contested a preliminary clearance, signaling sustained high-level scrutiny. This case, emblematic of systemic vulnerabilities, centers on alleged procedural violations in loan disbursements to cooperative sugar factories, representing one of India's most significant financial investigations. Further complicating the political landscape, both Sunetra Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were previously subjected to investigation under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, with provisional attachments exceeding ₹1,000 crore in assets. While interim judicial relief has been granted in the benami matter, the core banking fraud investigation presents a formidable and unresolved legal challenge. The persistence of these probes underscores the complex interplay between political authority, financial governance, and judicial oversight in Maharashtra, with potential ramifications for state stability and anti-corruption enforcement paradigms.