Money laundering case: ED questions Pankaj Bhujbal

The agency has twice conducted searches at nine properties belonging to Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj, nephew Samir

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today questioned Pankaj Bhujbal, son of senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, in a money laundering case registered against him and others in connection with the construction of the new Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi and an another case.

Officials said Pankaj reached the agency's office in the Ballard Estate area in Mumbai and investigators will record his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ED had issued summons to Pankaj sometime back and it had also seized his passport then.

Pankaj, an MLA in the Maharashtra assembly, has been named in the FIR filed by the agency, besides his father and former state PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, other associates and entities and his nephew Samir, who was arrested by ED in the same case earlier this month.

ED had twice conducted searches at nine premises, including properties and offices, belonging to the senior Bhujbal, Pankaj, nephew Samir and few others.

NCP had then described the searches as "political vendetta".

The agency's action came days after the Bombay High Court on January 28 sought progress reports from the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau and ED in four weeks on their probe against Bhujbal and his family members.

The agency has filed two FIRs against the Bhujbals and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on Mumbai Police FIRs, to probe the Maharashtra Sadan construction scam and the Kalina land grabbing case.

It has also brought out orders for attachment of three properties with an estimated worth of over Rs 280 crore in the case under money laundering laws.