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Money laundering case: PMLA court rejects Chhagan Bhujbal’s bail plea
Designated judge of PMLA court PR Bhavake, however, rejected Chhagan Bhujbal’s bail petition after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) objected saying investigations were still on.
A Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) rejected on Friday the bail petition of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
Bhujbal who is facing charges of money laundering in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan scam, had sought bail on health grounds.
The senior NCP leader pleaded that he was in custody for nearly two months and was suffering from multiple health problems for which he needed to undergo treatment.
Designated judge of PMLA court PR Bhavake, however, rejected Bhujbal’s bail petition after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) objected saying investigations were still on and he was getting proper treatment in government hospital. Bhujbal was arrested on March 14.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed an FIR against Bhujbal after it found irregularities in construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi which was built at a cost of Rs 100 crore. It is alleged that the contractor gave kickbacks to Bhujbal.
Another FIR was also filed by ACB against Bhujbal in which it is alleged that he received kickbacks in awarding the contract of state central library in Kalina campus of Mumbai University.
ED lawyer Purnima Kantharia opposed Bhujbal’s bail saying the diseases cited by Bhujbal in the bail petition are not new and he has been living with them for the last 15 years. He has been given proper medical treatment and the prosecution would provide the best medical doctors to treat him, she said.
Bhujbal is currently lodged in central prison at Arthur Road here along with his nephew and former MP, Sameer who was also arrested in the same case on similar charges.
