Bombay HC grants interim pre-arrest bail to Eknath Khadse's wife in money laundering case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted interim pre-arrest bail to Mandakini Khadse, wife of NCP leader Eknath Khadse, in a money laundering case pertaining to the 2016 Pune land deal case. A single bench of Justice N W Sambre directed Mandakini Khadse to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) every Tuesday and Friday from 17 October to 29 November. Her counsel Raja Thakare and advocate Mohan Tekavde told the high court that she would also appear before the special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court here on October 21 pursuant to a nonbailable warrant issued against her on Tuesday (October 12). The court asked the ED to submit its response on her anticipatory bail application by 29 November when the matter would be heard again. “Why is the applicant’s custody required? Why should you (Mandakini Khadse) not appear before the ED and cooperate with the investigation?” the court asked. “We will hear the matter again on 29 November , by when the ED shall file its reply affidavit. Until then, the applicant shall appear before the ED on every Tuesday and Friday,” Justice Sambre said. He added that in the event of the applicant’s arrest, she shall be released on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. Mandakini Khadse approached the high court after the special court rejected her pre-arrest bail plea and issued a non-bailable warrant against her for not appearing before it despite the summons. Besides the Khadse couple, their son-in-law Girish Chaudhary is also named as an accused in the case. He was arrested in the case and is presently in judicial custody. The ED has alleged that Chaudhary and Khadse had purchased government land in Bhosari near Pune at Rs 3.75 crore even as its actual cost was Rs 31.01 crore. The prosecution’s case is that Khadse misused his official position as state Minister of Revenue at that time to facilitate the transaction. Khadse had resigned in June 2016 following the controversy over the purchase of land. He had quit the BJP in October 2020 and joined the NCP.