State Minister for Social Justice and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Kamble caused eyebrows to be raised on Tuesday when he defended jailed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, advocating his immediate release.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He [Bhujbal] is a fighter who is stuck in jail because of legal wrangles … I hope he gets bail immediately,” Mr. Kamble said at an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Parishad on Mahatma Phule’s death anniversary.
“The Supreme Court has quashed certain sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which were preventing Mr. Bhujbal from securing bail … I am confident that he will win the legal battle in the light of the recent ruling,” Mr. Kamble said.
The BJP leader shared the dais with NCP president Sharad Pawar, who lauded Mr. Bhujbal’s contribution in preserving Mahatma Phule’s residence, Phule wada, in Pune and developing the area around it. “It is due to his [Bhujbal’s] efforts that the Phule residence has been elevated to the status of a national heritage,” said Mr. Pawar.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Kamble’s defence of Mr. Bhujbal is in contrast to the stand taken by his partymen, especially the efforts of BJP leader Kirit Somaiyya to put Mr. Bhujbal behind bars.
The NCP was arrested in March last year by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan scam and the Kalina land allotment case. Mr. Bhujbal, the then Public Works Department minister, is accused of taking kickbacks to allot projects. The ED has accused Mr. Bhujbal of misusing his position as minister to cause a loss of ₹840 crore to the State.