Mumbai: Former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Wednesday once again sought bail, telling the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court that he is 71 years old and has been in custody for 21 months.
Mr. Bhujbal was refused bai by the Bombay High Court in December 2016. He was arrested in March 2016 after a special investigation team of the Anti Corruption Bureau and Enforcement Directorate (ED) looked into allegations of irregularities in granting the contract for construction of New Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. It was alleged that the contract lacked transparency and resulted in transfer of funds indirectly to the Bhujbals. The ED, in its charge sheet, has said that when Mr. Bhujbal was the public works department minister, crores of rupees were paid as kickbacks to private companies owned by Mr. Bhujbal, his family members and his employees’ family members.
Advocate Harshad Ponda, appearing for Mr. Bhujbal, said there are no kickbacks and whatever has been received was after approval from the Cabinet.
Mr. Ponda said that in June 2015, the Taloja police station had booked Mr. Bhujbal under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 120 B (whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death) of the Indian Penal Code, and sections of the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (MOFA). However, Mr. Ponda said, MOFA does not include scheduled offences, and therefore PMLA cannot be applied in this case.
He said that given Mr. Bhujbal’s age, the time he has spent in custody and because he has cooperated with investigators, he should be granted bail.
The arguments will continue on Thursday, after which Hiten Venegavkar, appearing for ED, will argue against granting bail.
