ED questions Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Ravindra Waikar in Jogeshwari plot case

Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Ravindra Waikar was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday as part of its money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities related to the obtaining permission for the construction of a luxury hotel on a plot in Jogeshwari in violation of an agreement with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Waikar arrived at the ED’s south Mumbai office at around noon on Monday to record his statement in the case.
According to his lawyers, Waikar is cooperating in the probe.
The agency on January 9 had conducted searches at seven premises in the city belonging to Waikar and his business partners, associated entities and connected individuals.
The agency had recently recorded the statement of civic officials who had dealt with the case that involved alleged misuse of the land plot.
Waikar and the other accused have denied the allegations levelled against them.
Waikar was summoned earlier on January 17 and 23 but he had sought time for appearance.
ED’s investigation against Waikar, who represents the Jogeshwari East constituency in the Maharashtra assembly, is based upon a case registered by the Mumbai police’ Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in September 2023.
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It was alleged that the BMC had given the land to a club named Supremo Club, at Jogeshwari to maintain a facility for sporting and entertainment activities, but permission was later obtained to facilitate the construction of a luxury hotel at the reserved open space plot, which amounted to a violation of the agreement with the civic body on the utilisation of the land.
It was alleged that for a limited development of the land parcel, a tripartite agreement was concluded in February 2004 among the plot owner, Waikar and four others, as well as the BMC.
Under this agreement, 67% of the plot was to be kept for public utility, and the rest could be used for development by the owners/occupiers according to the 1991 Development Control Regulations (DCR), people aware of the developments said.
It was alleged that the accused persons later obtained civic permission in 2021 to construct a hotel.
The plot, which was reserved for entertainment and sports activities, was given to the accused by the BMC for free public utilisation, but they allegedly used it for commercial activities, according to the first information report (FIR) of the EOW.
Last June, the BMC cancelled its permission granted for the construction of the hotel.
Waikar had approached the Bombay high court, challenging the civic action, but his petition was rejected last September.
Earlier, the EOW had conducted a preliminary enquiry into the alleged irregularities after a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader alleged that the accused in the case illegally obtained approval for the construction of a hotel on a plot reserved for a garden.
The EOW later sent notices to officials of the BMC’s Garden and Building Department asking them to join the investigation.
Waikar has been a legislator from Jogeshwari East for three consecutive terms since 2009 and was a cabinet minister between 2014 and 2019.