Kakades Poll Affidavit Shows 10 Crore Advance To Jay Pawar

PUNE: The election affidavit of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate for the Pune Legislative Council seat, Vikram Kakade, has revealed that he paid ₹10 crore to Jay Pawar, younger son of deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar, as an advance for a land deal.

The disclosure has attracted attention as Vikram, a businessman and son of former Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kakade, joined the NCP along with his father only days before being declared the party’s candidate for the June 18 MLC election.

According to the affidavit filed with his nomination papers, under the category “Loans and Advances to Other Persons”, Kakade has extended loans and advances worth more than ₹41.8 crore to individuals, companies and firms, with ₹10 crore shown in the name of Jay Ajit Pawar.

“There is a lot of speculation within the party cadre that his strong financial background may have played a role in securing the ticket,” said a party functionary on condition of anonymity.

Former NCP MLA Dilip Mohite Patil said party workers in Pune were disappointed with the decision. “Many workers who have spent years building the party feel overlooked. They are questioning why an outsider was preferred over long-serving leaders,” he said, while declining to comment on the transaction involving Jay.

Kakade clarified that the amount was not a loan.

“The transaction has nothing to do with the MLC election. Last year, I had expressed interest to Ajit Dada in purchasing a plot in Yashwant Ghadge Nagar adjacent to mine that was in Jay Pawar’s name. As part of that proposed deal, I paid ₹10 crore as an advance. The affidavit has a common category for loans and advances, which is why the amount appears there. It was not a loan,” he said.

The affidavit shows that Kakade and his family own movable and immovable assets worth more than ₹153 crore, while liabilities stand at over ₹40 crore. His movable assets are valued at ₹78.95 crore and include investments worth ₹11.69 crore in shares, bonds, debentures and mutual funds, besides a fleet of luxury vehicles valued at ₹22.04 crore. He has also declared jewellery and other valuables worth ₹2.25 crore.

His immovable assets are valued at ₹74.07 crore and include plots in Maval taluka worth over ₹49 crore, a plot in Mundhwa worth ₹8.12 crore, a residential property in Pashan worth over ₹9 crore and an apartment in Dubai valued at ₹7.66 crore. The affidavit also states that his wife, Devika, owns immovable assets worth ₹9.19 crore.

Kakade has declared outstanding income-tax dues of over ₹99 lakh. His educational qualification is listed as Higher Secondary Certificate (Class XII), completed in 2011. The affidavit also notes that he holds an arms licence.