ED attaches Rs 20 crore worth of assets of Chhagan Bhujbal in connection with money laundering probe

Mumbai: The ED has issued a fresh order attaching assets worth Rs 20.41 crore in connection with its money laundering probe against former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and others. [caption id=“attachment_3822743” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Chhagan Bhujbal. PTI[/caption] The zonal office of the central probe agency here said it has issued an order for provisional attachment of assets under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). With this fresh Rs 20.41 crore assets order, the total attachment of properties in the case stands at Rs 178 crore now, it said. The former deputy chief minister and NCP leader is in jail after he was arrested by the agency last year. Bhujbal’s son and NCP legislator Pankaj and his nephew Sameer are also accused in this case. According to the ED, the Bhujbal family allegedly had conspired along with several others to divert or ’launder’ kickbacks received by Chhagan Bhujbal, when he was state Public Works Department minister. The money laundering charges against them relate to thecontract for construction of the state guest house — ‘Maharashtra Sadan’ — in Delhi and the Kalina land-grabbing case in Mumbai.