Mumbai: A political storm erupted on social media on Monday after Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar accused Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule of waiving a penalty of over Rs 90 crore imposed on a company for illegal mining in Jalna district. The allegation sparked a sharp exchange of posts between the two leaders on X (formerly Twitter), drawing public attention to yet another controversy surrounding Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL).
The row began early in the day when Bawankule issued a challenge to Pawar, daring him to prove the allegation. Posting in Marathi, the senior BJP leader wrote: “Shri Rohit Pawar ji, You have made a very big claim. Prove that I, as Revenue Minister, waived a fine of Rs 90 crore on any company. Otherwise, retire from politics. Prove it!.
Pawar Hits Back With Proof
Pawar, unfazed by the dare, swiftly hit back with what he claimed was documentary proof. Sharing an image of a written reply given in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on July 11, 2025, Pawar argued that Bawankule himself had admitted to reducing the penalty imposed on MEIL.
The document, originally based on a question raised by BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar, stated that while district authorities had levied fines amounting to over Rs 94.68 crore for illegal extraction of sand, murum and stone during road construction work, the Revenue Department had allowed the company to settle the dues by paying just 11 percent in one case. Moreover, machinery that had been seized was returned following the company’s appeal.
Accusing the government of double standards, Pawar alleged that villagers engaged in small-scale excavation for rural road works often faced harsh action, while “wealthy contractors involved in large-scale illegal mining” were let off with massive waivers. “This is what you call a government for the common man?” Pawar asked in his post, insisting that Bawankule answer the people rather than challenging rivals to retire from politics.
Bawankule's Reply In Assembly Confirmed Company Paid 1% Of Total Penalty
In the Assembly, Bawankule’s reply had confirmed that fines of Rs 38.70 crore and Rs 55.98 crore had been imposed by officials in different cases, but following appeals, the company was directed to deposit only Rs 17.28 lakh, about 1 per cent of the total penalty, while its other appeals were still under consideration.
The issue assumes wider importance as Megha Engineering Infrastructure has been under scrutiny in Maharashtra. Recently, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) cancelled a contract awarded to the company after a rival bidder, L&T, challenged the tender process in the Supreme Court.
