The one-man judicial commission of Justice D S Zoting set up in 2016 to probe allegations against Eknath Khadse passed stringent strictures against the then revenue minister saying his direction to transfer a prime piece of MIDC land in favour of his wife Mandakini and son-in-law. Girish Chaudhari was "vitiated by fraud". The report, which was never made public, also called Khadse's actions as "abuse of official position". "The issuance of direction to the authorities to return the land to the owner or to pay compensation as per the new land acquisition act and thereafter purchase th same property by his wife and son-in-law, in my considered view was a fraud played on policy behind the MIDC Act, 1961 Justice Zoting observed in his 336-page report. In the wake of serious alegations against Khadse that he had misused his official position to procure a prime piece of MIDC land at a nominal price, the then CM Devendra Fadnavi's had set up inquiry on June 23, 2016 to look into all aspects of the land purchase deal by mandakini khadse and Girish Chaudary Justice Zoting, a former judge of the Bombay high court, submited his report to the government on June 28, 2016. Khadse resigned as revenue minister on June 4, 2016. In October, last year, Khadse joined the NCP and he is currently under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate over the land deal. Justice Zoting pointed out that purchase of the land, which was already vested in the state free from all encumbrances, was a move made by Khadse "to defeat law and the notified purpose of the acquisition". It is well settled that no legitimacy can be conferred on abuse of power to advance private purpose. Khadse has used his official/political position either for personal financial gains.
