India, April 30 -- Several leading traders and former office-bearers of the Agricultural Produce Market Commitee (APMC) at Vashi including the NCP (SP) Lok Sabha candidate from Satara, Shashikant Shinde, have been booked in criminal cases and arrested/ interrogated over the past week. The traders, mostly staunch supporters of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, allege the cases have been foisted on them due to political vendetta, while Pawar has threatened a state-wide agitation if Shinde is arrested. But BJP leaders say the punitive action is the outcome of a long investigation, and more corruption is likely to be unearthed soon.

A former APMC director and working president of the powerful Maharashtra Rajya Mathadi, Transport and General Kamgar U...