ED attaches Rs 90cr assets of Bhujbal family, firms
By Munish Pandey
With the latest order, total value of assets seized in the money laundering case comes up to Rs 433 cr.
While Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer are lodged in Arthur Road jail over money laundering charges, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached about two dozen immoveable assets worth over Rs 90 crore belonging to the former deputy chief minister, his family and the companies linked to them.
“ED has attached 22 properties consisting of flats and commercial premises in Mumbai, land/building in Nashik, Dindoshi, Ahmednagar and Adgaon, and an industrial plot in MIDC, Satpur, Nashik belonging to Chhagan Bhujbal, his family and the companies related to them,” said an ED officer.
The money trail has established that Rs 25.50 crore worth of laundered money was invested in these properties, whose current market value is roughly Rs 90 crore.
The latest attachment order, issued by a special PMLA court on Thursday, lists properties in the names of the former public works minister Bhujbal, his son Pankaj, daughter-in-law Vishakha, wife Meena and mother Hirabai, in addition to the related companies, namely Growth Infrastructure, Armstrong Energy, Armstrong Pure Water, Niche Infrastructure, Bhujbal Wines and Parvesh Constructions.
The order also names properties of Bhujbal’s associate Dilip Khaire.
According to ED, the Bhujbal family had allegedly conspired with many others to divert or ‘launder’ the kickbacks he received when he was the state public works minister.
On March 31, the prosecution had filed a complaint against Bhujbal and 52 others before the court in connection with a contract for constructing state guesthouse Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, and the Kalina landgrabbing case in Mumbai.
Later, the court issued non-bailable warrants against 32 individuals and summoned 21entities.
The complaint came a day after the ED filed a charge-sheet naming Bhujbal, Pankaj, Sameer and firms including DB Realty, Balwa group, Neelkamal Realtors and Kakade Infrastructure.
While Bhujbal and nephew Sameer are currently in judicial custody, his son and NCP legislator Pankaj, also an accused in the case, was recently granted interim protection from arrest by the Bombay High Court.
What the attachment order does
The objective of the attachment order under PMLA is to keep the accused from reaping benefits of their ill-gotten gains. The accused parties can appeal against the order before the adjudicating authority within six months.
With the latest order, total value of assets seized in the money laundering case comes up to Rs 433 cr.
While Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer are lodged in Arthur Road jail over money laundering charges, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached about two dozen immoveable assets worth over Rs 90 crore belonging to the former deputy chief minister, his family and the companies linked to them.
With the latest seizure of properties - the fifth in the case - under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the total market value of the assets impounded touches Rs 433 crore.
“ED has attached 22 properties consisting of flats and commercial premises in Mumbai, land/building in Nashik, Dindoshi, Ahmednagar and Adgaon, and an industrial plot in MIDC, Satpur, Nashik belonging to Chhagan Bhujbal, his family and the companies related to them,” said an ED officer.
The money trail has established that Rs 25.50 crore worth of laundered money was invested in these properties, whose current market value is roughly Rs 90 crore.
The latest attachment order, issued by a special PMLA court on Thursday, lists properties in the names of the former public works minister Bhujbal, his son Pankaj, daughter-in-law Vishakha, wife Meena and mother Hirabai, in addition to the related companies, namely Growth Infrastructure, Armstrong Energy, Armstrong Pure Water, Niche Infrastructure, Bhujbal Wines and Parvesh Constructions.
The order also names properties of Bhujbal’s associate Dilip Khaire.
According to ED, the Bhujbal family had allegedly conspired with many others to divert or ‘launder’ the kickbacks he received when he was the state public works minister.
On March 31, the prosecution had filed a complaint against Bhujbal and 52 others before the court in connection with a contract for constructing state guesthouse Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, and the Kalina landgrabbing case in Mumbai.
Later, the court issued non-bailable warrants against 32 individuals and summoned 21entities.
The complaint came a day after the ED filed a charge-sheet naming Bhujbal, Pankaj, Sameer and firms including DB Realty, Balwa group, Neelkamal Realtors and Kakade Infrastructure.
While Bhujbal and nephew Sameer are currently in judicial custody, his son and NCP legislator Pankaj, also an accused in the case, was recently granted interim protection from arrest by the Bombay High Court.
What the attachment order does
The objective of the attachment order under PMLA is to keep the accused from reaping benefits of their ill-gotten gains. The accused parties can appeal against the order before the adjudicating authority within six months.
