The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to grant protection from arrest to the NCP member and son of former deputy chief minister, Pankaj Bhujbal, in a money-laundering case.
A division Bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A.A. Sayed heard a petition challenging his non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and slated the matter for hearing on June 24.
Earlier, a single Bench of Justice Sadhna Jadhav had granted him temporary protection, and said that the single Bench does not have the jurisdiction to pass appropriate orders; therefore the petitioner should approach the registrar and then go before a division Bench.
The ED lawyer, Purnima Kantharia, submitted an affidavit stating that the accused persons allegedly conspired with Mr. Bhujbal to divert the kickbacks received by him through their group of companies. On April 27, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court had issued a NBW against Mr. Bhujbal and others, which was returnable on May 11. He has been since then evading arrest. The ED has filed a 11,500-page charge sheet naming Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj, nephew Sameer, and several others in the money-laundering case.
