Bombay HC extends interim protection from arrest to P. Bhujbal

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday extended interim protection from detention to Pankal Bhujbal and nine others till June 7. They all are facing money laundering charges in Maharashtra Sadan scam.

Pankaj, magnates Asif Balwa, Vinod Goenka and others have challenged the non-bailable warrants issued against them by the special court, seeking pre-arrest bail from the HC.

Moreover, the vacation bench had granted them interim protection from arrest last week. Enforcement Directorate (ED) counsel Poornima Kantharia had submitted reply affidavits and the petitioner’s lawyer sought time to file rejoinders. Later, Justice Shalini Joshi adjourned the hearing, extending the interim protection.

Highlights:

• Pankaj is the son of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
• According to ED, the accused conspired with his father – former Public Works Department (PWD) minister – to launder the ‘kickbacks’ received by him through their firms.
• Earlier this year, ED had filed an 11,500-page-chargesheet naming Chhagan Bhujbal, his nephew Sameer and Pankaj along with the firms involved.
• Few of those firms include D B Realty, Neelkamal Realtors and Builders, Balwa Group and Kakade Infrastructure.