Bhujbal gets clean chit in Sara-Sahara case

Maharashtra Director General of Police A N Roy, in a report submitted to the Mumbai High Court, has cleared state Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal in the Sara-Sahara illegal construction case.

Maharashtra Director General of Police A N Roy, in a report submitted to the Mumbai High Court on Friday, has cleared state Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal in the Sara-Sahara illegal construction case.

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A Bench headed by Justice F I Rebello has now asked Roy, Bhujbal, former Mumbai Police Commissioner M N Singh and Investigating Officer ACP Shankar Kamble to file affidavits regarding the allegations in the over five-year-old case.

The court in October had directed Roy to probe Bhujbal's role in the case.

The case pertains to illegal construction of Sara-Sahara shopping complex in South Mumbai on government land, funded allegedly by fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

Ketan Tirodkar, a former journalist, had filed writ petition, seeking inquiry into allegations that Bhujbal (who was Home Minister when the case came to light), interfered in the probe in which names of civic body officials had also cropped up for allegedly conniving with underworld elements.

Tirodkar had during the trial alleged that Investigating Officer Kamble was asked why no action was taken against Rajendra Vale, currently Deputy Municipal Commissioner.

Kamble had replied that there was pressure from the Home Ministry (then headed by Bhujbal).