The Bombay High Court today declined to grant interim protection from arrest to NCP MLA Pankaj Bhujbal in a money laundering case registered by Enforcement Directorate.
A division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka rejected his petition. It also posted his petition against the non-bailable warrant issued by the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases in the Maharashtra Sadan scam till July 4.
The interim protection from arrest granted to Pankaj by the HC earlier expired a few days ago.
His father and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal are the main accused in the case. He was arrested by ED in March and is still in jail.
Eleven other accused, including Rajya Sabha member and real estate developer Sanjay Kakade, have sought anticipatory bail and the HC has granted them protection from arrest till July 1.
According to ED, the accused conspired with Chhagan Bhujbal, a former PWD minister, to divert or `launder’ the kickbacks he had received.
On March 30 this year, ED filed a charge sheet naming Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj, Bhujbal’s nephew Sameer and firms such as D B Realty, Balwa group, Neelkamal Realtors and Builders, Neelkamal Central Apartment LLP and Kakade Infrastructure.
The charges relate to the contract for construction of the state guest house `Maharashtra Sadan’ in Delhi and the Kalina land-grabbing case in Mumbai.
( Source – PTI )
