After ACB, now ED zeroing on Bhujbal

Former M'rashtra Dy CM faces corruption charges

After the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Maharashtra Police, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is zeroing in on NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal. 

A day after the ACB conducted series of raids in Mumbai, Nashik, Thane and Pune on properties of the former deputy chief minister in connection with three FIRs that it registered against him including the Maharashtra Sadan scam, the ED registered two Economic Case Information Reports (ECIR) against him and others under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On Tuesday, senior BJP MP Kirit Somaiya met ED officials in Mumbai and requested for detailed investigations. “ED registered two  ECIRs against the Bhujbals… in IndiaBulls and Maharashtra Sadan scams…further action to follow,” Somaiya said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had been targeting Bhujbal said when the Bombay High Court ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the ACB – it observed that the petitioners – Anjali Damania and others — had presented enough evidence to prove that there has been a trail of kickbacks from many builders into the accounts of companies and trusts belonging to Chhagan Bhujbal and his relatives and associates.

“Politicians in Maharashtra believe that they are above the law and their brazenness in corruption is seen in the Bhujbal case where he openly accepted kickbacks through bank payments. His disproportionate assets worth thousands of crores are proof that there must have been huge cases on kickbacks in black too and we hope the SIT can unearth the loot. We hope that the ACB takes these cases to the logical conclusion and arrests all the perpetrators,” AAP national spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said.

Pawar mum
Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has preferred to keep  mum on the allegations of corruption against Chhagan Bhujbal.

“It is simple. When the investigation is at this stage, it is not right for a responsible person like me to comment about this. Somebody can claim that I made a political statement and put pressure (on the investigating machinery),” Pawar said.