ED Receives Complaint Alleging ₹200-Crore Financial Dealings, Benami Assets Linked To Maratha Leaders

Mumbai, September 11, 2026 - The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has received a complaint alleging that members of the Maratha community, along with their associates, have amassed disproportionate wealth and acquired benami properties, as well as being involved in financial transactions worth approximately Rs 200 crore. The allegations surfaced after the Maratha quota agitation intensified.

The complaint encompasses various financial dealings, including government contracts, land transactions, and other commercial activities. Additionally, it seeks scrutiny of financial transactions related to political gatherings and elections, particularly those connected to the 2024 Lok Sabha and subsequent Assembly elections. The complaint may also delve into potential financial ties extending to the sand-trading and transport business within the Godavari river region.

According to the complaint, submitted by activists Amol Sukhdev Khune and Ajay Maharaj Barskar, there has been a significant shift in the financial status, assets, and lifestyle of certain individuals associated with the Maratha leaders over the recent years. However, it has been clarified that the predicate offense is required for investigation, and the allegations have not been established as facts. Verifying these claims would necessitate checking financial, banking, tax, and property records.

The complaint singles out several Maratha leaders and their associates, alleging that government contracts and tenders were procured by entities and firms linked to these individuals. The departments and agencies implicated in the alleged misuse of government contracts include the public works department, water resources department, rural development department, zilla parishads, municipal bodies, the Jal Jeevan Mission, and irrigation authorities.

The complainant urges for validation of tender numbers, work orders, approved sums, payments, firms, and their directors or partners, sub-contractors, and bank accounts. Moreover, it seeks examination of whether the contracts were procured through competitive e-tendering or via influence or other improper means, and if government payments were subsequently utilized to acquire private assets.

Another complaint centers around a close associate of a senior Maratha leader who recently purchased agricultural land in Rammahagaon Budruk, located in Ambad taluka of Jalna district. The land registration documents attached to the complaint reveal that the associate acquired 9.08 hectares of land under gat number 139 and 2.02 hectares under gat number 144.

The transaction was registered on May 12, 2026, under Document No. 2791/2026. The complaint urges investigation into the source of funds used for this transaction and whether it corresponds to the purchaser's known and declared income. The documents submitted to the ED include registration records of the land purchase, which flag the land acquisition as part of a larger financial inquiry.