Maharashtra Sadan scam: HC grants interim protection from arrest to Pankaj Bhujbal

Mumbai: NCP legislator Pankaj Bhujbal was on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest till 8 August.  The Bombay High Court in a money laundering case registered by Enforcement Directorate. Pankaj had filed an anticipatory bail application in the high court after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him by the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases in the Maharashtra Sadan scam. [caption id=“attachment_2935612” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] NCP leader Pankaj Bhujbal. Twitter[/caption] Justice PN Deshmukh granted Pankaj interim protection from arrest till August 8 when it would hear his bail plea. Pankaj’s father and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and cousin Sameer are the main accused in the case. Chhagan was arrested by ED in March and is still in jail. According to ED, the Bhujbal family allegedly conspired along with several others to divert or ’launder’ kickbacks received by Chhagan Bhujbal when he was State Public Works Department minister. On 30 March this year, ED filed chargesheet naming Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj, Sameer and firms such as DB Realty, Balwa group, Neelkamal Realtors and Builders, Neelkamal Central Apartment LLP and Kakade Infrastructure. The charges relate to the contract for construction of the state guest house ‘Maharashtra Sadan’ in Delhi and the Kalina land-grabbing case in Mumbai.