Court issues NBW against Pankaj, extends Chaggan Bhujbal's custody

Court has also extended judicial custody of Chaggan Bhujbal's nephew Sameer, a former MP, till May 11

A special PMLA court today issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against NCP MLA Pankaj Bhujbal in a money laundering case in which it also extended the judicial custody of his father and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chaggan Bhujbal.

"A NBW is issued against accused no 3 (Pankaj Bhujbal)," said Special Judge P R Bhavke.

Apart from Pankaj, NBWs were also issued against some others in the case relating to the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi and alleged land grabbing at Kalina in Mumbai, after the court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Later, the court also extended the judicial custody of Chaggan Bhujbal, a senior NCP leader, and his nephew Sameer, a former MP, till May 11.

Earlier, the ED had told the court it had attached properties of Bhujbals worth Rs 131.86 crore while remaining assets worth Rs 708.30 crore were yet to be identified and attached.

Also, ED had conducted searches at nine premises, including properties and offices, belonging to the senior Bhujbal, his son, nephew and few others.

Pankaj was named in the FIR filed by the agency, besides his father, other associates and entities. Sameer was arrested by ED in the same case early this year.

The ED had on March 30 filed a 11,500-page chargesheet naming Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj, Sameer, real estate firms like D B Realty, Balwa group of companies, Neelkamal Realtors and Builders Private Limited, Neelkamal Central Apartment LLP and Kakade Infrastructure.

The agency has filed two FIRs against Bhujbals and others under the anti-money laundering laws, based on FIRs filed by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau, to probe alleged irregularities in the construction of the state guesthouse 'Maharashtra Sadan' in Delhi and the Kalina land grabbing case.

The High Court, in December 2014, had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising the ED and state ACB officials to conduct inquiries against Bhujbal and others.

The ACB complaint names Pankaj and Sameer for offences such as cheating, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust under the IPC, and under the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act.