Bombay High Court grants bail to former Maharashtra Dy CM Chhagan Bhujbal in PMLA case

MUMBAI: Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal in connection with a money laundering case against him.

The veteran Maharashtra politician has already spent two years in jail in connection with the money laundering case.

He was lodged in the high-security Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai after his conviction in the alleged money laundering case.

Bhujbal, who is at present associated with Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March 2016. 

Bhujbal, his son and NCP legislator Pankaj and his nephew Sameer are also co-accused in the money laundering case.

The probe agency has charged the Bhujbal family members of allegedly hatching a conspiracy along with others to divert kickbacks received by the influential politician when he was state Public Works Department Minister.

The money laundering charges against Bhujbal and his family members relate to the contract for construction of the state guest house- 'Maharashtra Sadan' - in Delhi and the Kalina land-grabbing case in Mumbai.

Chhagan Bhujbal was lodged in one of the cells of Barrack No 12 whose construction was approved by him in 2008 when he was the Public Works Department (PWD) minister.

He was lodged alongside former media baron Peter Mukerjea, one of the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, in the Arthur Road jail.

The former Maharashtra Deputy CM shared the barrack with NCP leader Ramesh Kadam, an accused in a multi-crore corporation scam, and Peter Mukerjea.

After 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab's hanging in November 2012, the barrack was divided into various cells.

In an irony of fate, Bhujbal occupied one of the cells of the barrack, which is considered as the most secure zone, since he was remanded on March 17 in the alleged PMLA case.