Ncp leader eknath khadse skips ed summons, saying he has covid-19 symptoms

The ED had last week sent a notice to the NCP leader, summoning him over the Bhonsari land deal case in Pune, and asked him to report on December 30. Khadse had left the Bharatiya Janata

Party (BJP) earlier this year in October to join Sharad Pawar-led NCP. (Image: PTI) Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Eknath Khadse said on Wednesday (December 30) that he could

not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office as he had COVID-19 symptoms. The ED had last week sent a notice to the NCP leader, summoning him over the Bhonsari land deal case

in Pune, and asked him to report on December 30. Khadse said that he would appear before the ED after he had completed his 14-days of the quarantine period. The former Maharashtra revenue

minister said that he had a mild cough and fever, citing that to be the reason behind his inability to appear before the ED on December 30. "I have been told to follow quarantine for 14

days. Once done, I will visit the ED office," he said. Khadse had confirmed that he received the summons from the ED over the Bhonsari land deal in Pune, which was in the name of his

wife. "I have received the notice related to the Bhosari land deal in Pune. The deal in question was in the name of my wife, Mandakini. But since I am part of the family, I have

received the notice as well," he explained. Khadse had left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier this year in October to join Sharad Pawar-led NCP. He had earlier suggested that he

left the party after being sidelined in its organisation. The Indian Express quoted him as saying, "I have nothing to fear or hide regarding the land deal… Several investigations,

including one by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), have been initiated into it, and the ACB has already given me a clean chit." Khadse was a senior cabinet minister in the BJP-led

Maharashtra government. He stepped down from his post in 2016 after allegations emerged that he misused his position in facilitating the purchase of government land by his family members.