I-T searches at Maha minister Bhaskar Jadhav`s premises

Mumbai: The Income Tax department has conducted searches at the premises of Maharashtra minister Bhaskar Jadhav, after he came under scanner for the lavish wedding hosted at Chiplun, when many parts of the state were facing the prospect of a severe drought. The inquiries and searches were carried out by a team of 11 officers at his hotel as well as residence in Chiplun (Ratnagiri) and Karad (Satara) yesterday, I-T sources said Tuesday.

The I-T sleuths also recorded the statement of the NCP leader last night at his Chiplun residence, they said. The department is gathering information about the huge expenses incurred on the elaborate wedding of Jadhav`s son and daughter, last week. "Our mandate is to get the information about the source of money that was spent at the wedding," sources said. Also, officials have recorded the statement of a man identified as Shah, who allegedly funded crores of rupees for the February 13 wedding, which was attended by almost the entire state cabinet. Soon after the ceremony, the NCP had disapproved of the lavish wedding hosted by its minister and had termed it as "inappropriate" when many parts of Maharashtra were reeling under water scarcity. "Such ostentatious show of wealth was inappropriate for those in public life," NCP spokesman Nawab Malik had said. A day after, NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, too, had voiced his displeasure. Pawar had said that he could not sleep the whole night when he saw visuals of the wedding on television. "If my own colleagues do not remember their public duties, what should one expect of the common man," Pawar had said, recalling that the wedding of his only daughter, Supriya, had been a very simple affair. Maharashtra is co-governed by Congress and NCP, and Jadhav is minister of State for Urban Development. PTI