Maharashtra’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has given a clean chit to NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in the Vidarbha irrigation scam.

The ACB, in its affidavit submitted in the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, has ruled out Pawar’s involvement in cases of alleged irregularities in irrigation projects in the Vidarbha region.

“Considering the facts and evidence collected during the course of enquiry/investigation, it is observed that there is no criminal liability on the part of the then Chairman of the VIDC (Minister of WRD) in respect of the process of granting sanction to the liability of the tender cost including that of updated cost and sanctioning the mobilization advance to the contractors or any other allegations/charges,” the report submitted in the court said, according to news agency ANI.

The affidavit was submitted on November 27, a day before the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of the Shiv Sena -NCP-Congress was sworn-in the state on November 28.

The ACB on November 25, closed nine cases of 10-year-old irrigation scam allegedly involving the then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The court had asked the ACB to clarify its stand on the role of Pawar, a former Water Resources Development Minister, in these cases.

Pawar had also served as chairman of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC), which had cleared irrigation projects in which irregularities were alleged.

These cases among others, collectively known as the infamous Rs 70,000 crore ‘Irrigation Scam’ dated 10 years back, created a major political furore in the politics of Maharashtra.

In 2014 election campaign, as well as the just concluded Maharastra Assembly Elections too, Devendra Fadnavis raised the issue and assured to put allegedly involved Ajit Pawar behind the bars once voted in power.

Ajit Pawar, who in a surprise move switched side from NCP and joined the 80 hrs BJP led government in the state during the one month long drama which took place in the state after the elections results of the Assembly elections were declared which saw break-up of the Shiv Sena -BJP alliance and forming of a new Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress led alliance government in the state called the Maha Vikas Aghadi.