Non-bailable warrant against Pankaj Bhujbal

A Special Court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against NCP legislator Pankaj Bhujbal and some others in connection with a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Prevention of Money Laundering Act Special Court Judge P.R. Bhavke ordered the warrant after taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the ED in the case pertaining to the alleged corruption in the construction of the Maharashtra Sadan in New delhi and another case.

The judge also extended the judicial custody of former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew former MP and Sameer Bhujbal till May 11.

On March 30, the ED had filed an 11,500-plus pages chargesheet naming the Bhujbal trio, their other associates and corporate entities like D.B. Realty, Balwa Group, Neelkamal Realtors and Kakade Infrastructure in the scam worth around Rs.870 crore.

The ED has filed two first information reports (FIRs) against the accused under PMLA based on complaints registered by Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau for probing alleged irregularities in the construction of Maharashtra Sadan and a land grab at Kalina in Mumbai.

The actions followed a Special Investigation Team directed by the Bombay High Court in December 2014 to probe these cases against the Bhujbals and others.

Earlier, the ED had attached properties of the Bhujbals worth Rs.131.86 crore and carried out searches at nine offices and properties.

While Sameer Bhujbal was arrested on February 3, his uncle Chhagan Bhujbal was nabbed on March 14 by the ED and remains in custody. Now the warrant has been issued against Pankaj Bhujbal.

--IANS

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