The arrest followed a day of questioning as Bhujbal had appeared before Enforcement Directorate officials in Mumbai as part of the agency’s investigation into the role of the 68-year-old politician in a money-laundering case registered earlier this year.
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On the other hand, Somaiya said “Bhujbal’s arrest was inevitable” and predicted that the same fate awaits other NCP leaders involved in the mega irrigation scams which he has unearthed. Anticipating trouble from his supporters, the police had imposed prohibitory orders in the area around the ED office in upscale Ballard Estate in south Mumbai. “Truth shall prevail. I will cooperate with the ED”. His nephew Sameer Bhujbal was already arrested by ED on February 1 under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He will be produced before the court o Tuesday morning where ED officials are seeking for his custody.
Following Somaiya’s complaints, the ED had lodged two first information reports against the Bhujbals and others under the PMLA to probe the Maharashtra Sadan scam in New Delhi and the Kalina land grabbing scam in Mumbai.
They also attached properties worth Rs 110 crore belonging to Parvesh Construction, a real-estate firm jointly owned by Pankaj and Sameer.
His son and MLA Pankaj Bhujbal, too, was questioned.
Bhujbal and his party, the NCP, have termed the ED’s actions a “political vendetta”.
Simultaneously, the state Anti-Corruption Bureau had lodged a charge sheet against the three Bhujbals and 14 others in the Maharashtra Sadan case.
At around 11 am on Monday when Chhagan Bhujbal arrived at the ED’s headquarters, NCP party workers started sloganeering outside the office.
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Enforcement Directorate claims the NCP leader received kickbacks for contracts to build the Maharashtra Sadan guest house in Delhi. Police sources said that around 125 police personnel headed by DCP Zone-I, Manoj Kumar Sharma were present at the spot even as roads leading to the office were barricaded on both sides.
