Facing a string of allegations including irregularities in a
land deal, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse today resigned,
the first casualty in BJP since the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine took
over pledging zero-tolerance towards corruption.
Forwarding Khadse's resignation to Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an inquiry by a retired high court judge into the allegations against him
Considered "number two" in the Cabinet and in-charge of vital portfolios like Revenue and Agriculture, Khadse has been facing a series of allegations including irregularities in a land deal in Pune and of getting calls allegedly from fugitive Dawood Ibrahim's residence in Karachi on his mobile phone besides the alleged bribe sought by a personal aide.
He is in a spot over the purchase of a three-acre Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) land in Pune allegedly at a low price of around Rs 3.75 crore from its original owner in the name of his wife and son-in-law. The market value of the land is reportedly Rs 40 crore.
Allgations against Khadse were leveraged not only by Congress, NCP and AAP to embarrass Maharashtra's first BJP-led government but even ally Shiv Sena had come out in the open seeking his ouster.
Forwarding Khadse's resignation to Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an inquiry by a retired high court judge into the allegations against him
Considered "number two" in the Cabinet and in-charge of vital portfolios like Revenue and Agriculture, Khadse has been facing a series of allegations including irregularities in a land deal in Pune and of getting calls allegedly from fugitive Dawood Ibrahim's residence in Karachi on his mobile phone besides the alleged bribe sought by a personal aide.
He is in a spot over the purchase of a three-acre Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) land in Pune allegedly at a low price of around Rs 3.75 crore from its original owner in the name of his wife and son-in-law. The market value of the land is reportedly Rs 40 crore.
Allgations against Khadse were leveraged not only by Congress, NCP and AAP to embarrass Maharashtra's first BJP-led government but even ally Shiv Sena had come out in the open seeking his ouster.
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