New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS): In a setback for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar ahead of the Maharashtra polls, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to quash investigation in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam. Instead, the apex court asked the state police to conduct a free and fair probe.

Last week, the Bombay High Court had ordered lodging an FIR against Pawar and over 70 others in the Rs 1,000-crore scam.

Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and others are accused of being complicit in causing the MSCB losses to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore between 2007 and 2011.

The other accused in the case include Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader Jayant Patil and bank officials in 34 districts in the state.

Pawar had moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order. However, a bench, comprising Justices Arun Mishra and M.R. Shah, declined to entertain the plea seeking to quash the investigation.