4 months ago
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Maharashtra Minority Development Department has asserted that nary caller files were digitally signed and nary number presumption certificates were distributed connected January 28, 2026 the time Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died successful a level crash.
The clarification comes amid a contention implicit the alleged hasty assistance of number presumption to 75 acquisition institutions successful the days pursuing the death of Ajit Pawar, who was handling the Minority Development Department astatine the time.
Minority presumption confers important regulatory benefits connected acquisition institutions, including exemptions from definite provisions of the Right to Education Act, specified arsenic the 25% preservation for economically weaker sections, on with grants and greater administrative autonomy successful appointments and interior management. Pawar and 4 others died successful a level clang successful Baramati successful Pune district connected the greeting of January 28, 2026.
In a elaborate connection posted connected X precocious Monday nighttime (February 23, 2026), the Minority Development Department said that connected January 28, nary integer signatures were affixed connected immoderate caller files oregon certificates done the Department. “No certificates were handed implicit connected that day,” it maintained.
The Department stressed that the full process of granting number presumption is conducted online and successful a transparent manner, strictly successful accordance with provisions laid down successful the Government Resolution dated May 27, 2013. “Applications are scrutinised and certificates issued lone aft district-level verification,” it said.
Rejecting reports suggesting irregularities oregon hurried processing of applications, the Department claimed specified allegations were "completely baseless" and amounted to a distortion of facts.
The contention intensified past week aft the Department's Deputy Secretary, Milind Padmanabh Shenoy, was removed from his post. The enactment was taken aft Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stayed the approvals granted to the institutions.
According to officials, the archetypal number certificate was allegedly issued astatine 3.09 p.m. connected January 28 and 7 institutions received approvals that day. The full fig of approvals roseate to 75 wrong the adjacent 3 days, prompting questions implicit the velocity of processing.
A high-level enquiry has been ordered to analyse however the files were cleared, whether owed process was followed, and whether immoderate anterior suspension connected issuing number certificates had been formally lifted.
“The Chief Minister has sought a broad study connected the series of events and warned of stern enactment if immoderate irregularity oregon procedural lapse is found,” a elder authoritative earlier said.
Deputy CM and Minority Development Minister Sunetra Pawar, who was sworn successful aft her hubby Ajit Pawar's demise, had earlier directed officials to probe the substance thoroughly and initiate strict enactment if wrongdoing is established.
