Turning up the heat on former Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhubal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has booked him on money laundering charges.
The agency has filed two Economic Case Information Reports (ECIR) against the minister and his co-accused in the graft cases currently being probed by the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau.
ED sources said that there was a prima facie violation of the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by those named in the ECIRs as they allegedly floated shell companies which, in turn, bought shares in other companies owned by Mr. Bhujbal or his family members.
When the Bombay High Court, ordered the formation of a Special Inquiry Team to look into the corruption charges against the NCP leader last December, it had directed both the ED and ACB to be a part of it. However, a PMLA violation can only be registered when the criteria of registration of an FIR by any other agency is fulfilled. This is why the agency had to wait till ACB registered two separate cases of cheating and forgery against Mr. Bhujbal and others, including his kin and several government officials working under him during his tenure as State Public Works Department.
These cases, both registered last week, pertain to irregularities and receiving of kickbacks Maharashtra Sadan scam and Kalina land allotment case. In addition, the Navi Mumbai Police also registered a case of cheating against Mr. Bhujbal’s son Pankaj and nephew Sameer last week.
The ED will now look at these deals and is likely to summon Mr. Bhujbal in the coming days, sources added.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya -- who on Tuesday met ED officials seeking speedy probe against Mr.Bhujbal and others and also purportedly shared information on the various transactions, including those through alleged Hawala routes – said that the total gains made by the scams under probe by the ACB could be to the tune of Rs, 5000 crore.
And even as Mr. Bhujbal, 16 of whose properties were raided by ACB sleuths on Tuesday, continued to accuse the BJP-Shiv Sena government of indulging in political vendetta by making the agencies go after him, support from his own party has not been very vocal.
None of the party leaders chose to come out in his support on Wednesday amid speculations that that the NCP heavyweight may also be arrested in the coming week.
Maintaining complete silence for the second consecutive day, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that he would not like to comment on the developments. “My statement at this time will be considered as an attempt to put pressure on agencies,” he said.
Apart from Mr. Pawar, his nephew and second-most powerful leader of the NCP, Ajit Pawar, too chose to remain silent in the matter. NCP MP Praful Patel, Mr. Pawar’s daughter and MP Supriya Sule too seem to have decided to refrain from commenting.
While the big-wigs of the NCP remained silent, party activists from Mr. Bhujbal’s hometown in Nasik burnt the government’s effigy as a mark of protest.
Meanwhile, Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad (MPSP), an organisation headed by Mr. Bhujbal who is one of the heavyweight OBC leaders in the state, has warned of state wide rasta roko against the ACB’s action.
