Ex-Bhiwandi mayor held in 11-yr-old land deal case

BHIWANDI: Former Bhiwandi mayor Vilas Patil has been arrested by the Thane Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with an 11-year-old land transaction case involving properties worth several crores of rupees.

Although the transactions date back over a decade, the case was reportedly registered in June last year in relation to two separate land deals from 2015. Patil was taken into custody on Saturday morning and later produced before a Bhiwandi court, which remanded him in police custody.

The arrest has sparked debate, given Patil's reputation as a strategist in Bhiwandi politics. Often described as a 'kingmaker,' Patil has in the past played a role in shaping equations in the civic body.

The 90-seat Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation has seen a fractured mandate. No single party has secured a majority, resulting in negotiations among political groups. According to sources, Congress, with 30 corporators, along with NCP (SP) with 12 seats and SP with 6 had initially proposed a 'Bhiwandi Secular Alliance,' claiming support from 48 members.

But SP's six corporators later reportedly declined to back Congress, demanding the mayor's post. On the other side, BJP, with 22 corporators, and Shiv Sena with 12 have been reaching out to smaller parties and independents to secure the numbers.

Patil is chief of the Konark Vikas Aghadi, which has four corporators; it also has the support of one independent.

Amid reports of SP distancing itself from the 'secular' alliance, Patil was said to be working on an alternative strategy. According to sources, Patil had been attempting to regain influence in the mayoral race by reaching out to Sena's 12, NCP (SP)'s 12, Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi's 4 corporators and by bringing some of BJP's corporators too with him.

Patil's arrest in this scenario has added a twist to post-poll alliance-building efforts in Bhiwandi.

Political observers said Patil has previously demonstrated an ability to influence outcomes despite limited representation.

In 2019, his party secured four seats, yet Patil engineered a coalition by bringing together 18 Congress corporators and 20 BJP members, facilitating election of his wife Pratibha Patil as mayor. Both Vilas and Pratibha Patil have served as mayors.

Analysts said Patil once shared cordial relations with BJP. This equation was reflected in 2019, when BJP corporators extended support that helped Patil's camp secure the mayor's post.