Former deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who was summoned by the enforcement directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case in the Maharashtra Sadan scam, was arrested on Monday night.
Bhujbal, who appeared before the central agency on Monday morning, was questioned till late before being arrested under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after his answers to questions from ED officials were deemed inconclusive.
Bhujbal will be produced before a special PMLA court on Tuesday.
According to ED sources, the probe revolves around Bhujbal’s tenure as the public works minister. While ED has accused Sameer Bhujbal – Chhagan’s nephew — of masterminding” the scam, they are probing if he was influenced by the former deputy CM. “The contracts were awarded when Bhujbal was the PWD minister. We are probing whether Sameer and others were involved in misappropriations because he [Bhujbal] was the minister. The investigation is focused on gathering evidence against (Chhagan) Bhujbal,” said a high-ranking ED officer.
While entering the ED office, Bhujbal told the media that he was being targeted out of political vendetta and he would co-operate with the investigation.
{{/usCountry}}While entering the ED office, Bhujbal told the media that he was being targeted out of political vendetta and he would co-operate with the investigation.
{{/usCountry}}Read | Maha Sadan money-laundering case: Chhagan Bhujbal appears before ED