The state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has said that NCP leader Ajit Pawar has no "criminal liability" in the irrigation scam that is being probed for seven years. ACB chief Param Bir Singh has endorsed affidavits filed by the unit heads in Vidarbha who had earlier told the Bombay High Court in their periodic review that Pawar, the then water resources minister, was clean in a R70,000-crore scam.

The affidavits had created a political storm because they were filed after Ajit Pawar had taken oath with former CM Devendra Fadnavis, before resigning in 80 hours. The BJP CM had denied having cleared the ACB affidavit that was part of the government's submission in the PIL hearing. Singh's endorsement was filed before the Nagpur bench of the High Court on Friday. It said, "As regards the role of Ajit Pawar, no criminal liability is disclosed during the course of inquiry/ investigation by the Special Investigation Team [SIT]."