ED gives big relief to Chhagan Bhujbal, withdraws petition in money laundering case, 5 months ago he rebelled against Sharad Pawar and supported BJP
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has withdrawn its petitions filed against NCP’s Ajit Pawar faction leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal. Regarding withdrawal of the case, ED has said that it is not getting its own petition filed against Bhujbal. Chhagan Bhujbal is currently a part of the cabinet in the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government in Maharashtra.
However, this has not been done against his son Pankaj Bhujbal and the ED investigation against him will continue.
Chhagan had rebelled against Sharad Pawar only 5 months ago. He had separated from Sharad Pawar. Along with Eknath Shinde, he supported the BJP-led NDA in Maharashtra. The result of this was that there was a change of power there. Before that, BJP had made many allegations of corruption regarding Chhagan Bhujbal. Now ED has given a big relief by deciding to withdraw the petition.
Bhujbal and some of his family members were arrested by ED in 2016 on charges of money laundering in the Maharashtra Sadan scam. He was the leader of the opposition then. After this, Bhujbal was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in May 2018. Immediately after getting bail, on 16 October 2018, the trial court had allowed Bhujbal to renew his passport and he was also allowed to travel abroad.
ED filed a petition against Bhujbal in the High Court in 2018 itself and challenged the exemption given to Bhujbal. When this petition filed in 2018 came up for hearing in September and October this year, the ED immediately told the court that it was not getting its own petition, which it had filed against Bhujbal and his nephew.
On November 29, 2023, lawyer Harsh Dedhia reached the High Court on behalf of ED and appealed to withdraw the petitions. Justice RN Laddha allowed this and then the court rejected the petitions considering them withdrawn.
