Rohit Pawar, Revenue Minister Bawankule Clash Over ₹90-Crore Penalty Relief
Rohit Pawar, Revenue Minister Bawankule Clash Over ₹90-Crore Penalty Relief
Mumbai, September 8, 2025: A heated political exchange unfolded on social media on Monday after NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar accused Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule of granting massive relief to Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) in an illegal mining case in Jalna district.
Pawar alleged that a penalty of more than ₹90 crore imposed on the company had been drastically reduced by the state government. In response, Bawankule hit back, daring Pawar to provide proof of his claim and even challenging him to retire from politics if he failed to do so.
Unfazed, Pawar shared a document from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly dated July 11, 2025, where Bawankule reportedly acknowledged that penalties imposed on MEIL had been slashed. According to the reply, while fines of over ₹94 crore were initially levied for illegal sand, murum, and stone mining, the company was allowed to settle dues by paying just around 11 percent in one case. In another instance, a penalty of nearly ₹39 crore was reduced to ₹17.28 lakh—barely one percent of the original amount.
Pawar accused the government of showing leniency to big contractors while villagers involved in small-scale excavation face strict action.
The issue has gained traction as MEIL has already been under scrutiny in Maharashtra, with the MMRDA recently scrapping one of its contracts following a legal challenge by rival bidder L&T in the Supreme Court.
