What is happening with Mr Patel has been happening with me for several years, Sharad Pawar said (File)
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said he had tackled similar issues which his party colleague Praful Patel is facing at present.
"Today, what is happening with Praful Patel has been happening with me for several years. For years, attempts were made to link my name to Dawood Ibrahim. But these things serve no purpose, people do not believe these things. Praful Patel's life is before everyone to see," Mr Pawar said.
His statement comes days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Humayun Merchant, a close aide of late gangster Iqbal Mirchi and seized his property in connection with a land deal case.
The investigating agency had earlier questioned former union minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel in the case.
The ED has identified the Benami assets of Mirchi, who was declared as one of the 10 foreign drug kingpins by the US. Investigation revealed that Iqbal Mirchi had amassed various properties in India, UAE and the UK.
The agency has arrested Mirchi's associates, Haroun Yousuf and Ranjit Singh Bindra under Prevention of Money Laundering Act and got their remand for 5 days on October 12.