The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities involving former Vasai-Virar Municipal Commissioner Anil Pawar has sparked a fresh political storm in Maharashtra. With the probe widening, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has squarely accused senior Shinde Sena leader and Minister Dada Bhuse of facilitating Pawar’s controversial appointment.
This latest development threatens to draw Bhuse into the central agency’s crosshairs, placing him among a growing list of leaders under scrutiny, many of whom are affiliated with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
Raut didn’t hold back, accusing the BJP of leveraging agencies like the ED to strategically tighten control over its allies. “This is part of a larger plan to keep Shinde Sena ministers on a leash,” he claimed. “From Amit Salunkhe’s arrest to ED raids on relatives of Shinde loyalists—none of these actions are coincidental.”
Raut also took a sharp jab at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging selective enforcement of the law. “There’s a special ‘Fadnavis Act’ in Maharashtra. Ministers from his alliance get a soft warning, while Opposition leaders are hit with full force,” he said, highlighting an apparent double standard in legal accountability.
The ED’s action on Tuesday involved a series of property inspections linked to Anil Pawar. Among the key sites was a 413-square-metre plot near the Pandav Leni foothills in Nashik’s Pathardi area. Authorities suspect misuse of administrative authority in acquiring the land. Additional properties in Satana are also under scrutiny, amid claims of irregular ownership and questionable transactions.
According to Raut, Pawar’s appointment as Vasai-Virar Commissioner bypassed standard civil service protocols. He alleges that Dada Bhuse, then serving as Maharashtra’s Agriculture Minister, issued a personal recommendation in Pawar’s favor—an action allegedly endorsed by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“Bhuse didn’t just recommend Pawar—he made sure he got the job despite violating norms,” Raut said. “The ED might come knocking on Bhuse’s door next.”
In response, Dada Bhuse denied any impropriety and dismissed suggestions of a close relationship with Anil Pawar. However, he did not clearly deny having issued a recommendation letter, adding fuel to the Opposition’s claims. Bhuse attempted to counter the narrative by pointing out that even Sanjay Raut had made similar recommendations in the past.
This controversy lands at a politically sensitive time, especially as visible cracks begin to appear within the Mahayuti alliance. Several Shinde Sena MLAs recently abstained from a dinner hosted by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, further intensifying speculation about rifts within the ruling coalition.
Raut suggests that this growing internal dissent, coupled with mounting ED action, is a tactical move by the BJP to keep the Shinde faction compliant ahead of the upcoming civic body elections.
