Satara sugar mill under ED scanner reports second-highest cane crushed in state

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A sugar mill in Maharashtra’s Satara district, which is facing action from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged financial irregularities, has clocked the season’s second-highest sugarcane crushing.
At the start of the 2021-22 sugarcane crushing season, Jarandeshwar Sugar Mills Limited had faced action from the ED which had provincially attached its property. The action by the central agency was allegedly due to financial irregularities in the manner the erstwhile cooperative mill was sold to a private party by the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank.
In July last year, the central agency had taken action against the mill implicating the family of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for his alleged role in the undervalued sale of the mill. Ajit Pawar had denied the allegations and pointed out how all rules were followed during the auction of the mill.
Founded in 2003 by former state minister Shalini Patil, the cooperative mill had come into trouble soon afterwards as bank and farmer dues started rising. The mill was put up for auction by the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank and was subsequently purchased by a private party.
Following the action by the ED, the Income Tax department had also taken action. The steps taken by the central agencies had seen farmers getting worried about the fate of their cane. Three cooperative mills had also failed to raise enough capital to start their season.
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