Pune: Deepak Mankar, the city president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), has submitted his resignation to party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar following the registration of a criminal case against him for allegedly submitting forged documents to mislead the police. The political circle is now closely watching whether Ajit Pawar will accept the resignation.
The case against Mankar is linked to the arrest of Shantanu Kukde, state vice-president of the party’s minority cell, who was detained by Pune police following multiple complaints of sexual assault. During the investigation, police discovered suspicious financial transactions, including a Rs 1 crore exchange between Kukde and Mankar, which brought the latter under scrutiny.
In a statement, Mankar claimed he is being politically targeted by certain individuals aiming to tarnish his image. “I have been falsely implicated in a land transaction case involving alleged fraud against the government. However, the charges are yet to be proven, and I maintain that I have committed no wrongdoing,” he said.
He further added that the controversy has caused unnecessary damage to both his personal reputation and the party’s image. “This situation is forcing our party leadership to face undue pressure. Hence, I request that my resignation from the post of NCP Pune City President be accepted,” Mankar stated.
The final decision now rests with Ajit Pawar, and his response is awaited amid growing political speculation.
