This Article is From Jun 15, 2016

Anti-Corruption Bureau Files Case Against Chhagan Bhujbal & 11 Others

Anti-Corruption Bureau Files Case Against Chhagan Bhujbal & 11 Others

A a fresh case has been filed against former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and 11 others. (File Photo)

Mumbai: Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed a fresh case against former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and 11 others, including his four family members, for allegedly amassing Rs 203 crore disproportionate to known sources of his income, a police official said on Friday.

The FIR was filed by ACB on Thursday, in which apart from Mr Bhujbal, his wife Meena, son Pankaj, daughter-in-law Vishakha and nephew Sameer, have been named as accused, the official said.

Chartered accountants Sunil Naik and Chandrashekar Sarda, hawala operator Suresh Jajodia, directors of Mr Bhujbal's companies Pravinkumar Jain and Jagdishprasad Purohit, financial advisor Sanjeev Jain, and chief managing director of Snehal Cooperative Ltd Kapil Puri have also been named as other accused in the FIR, he said.

While investigating the alleged offences of cheating, forgery and corruption against Chhagan Bhujbal in two cases -- Central Library land scam and Maharashtra Sadan scam --ACB further found "ill-gotten" wealth, after which the fresh FIR was filed.

In the FIR, the anti-graft agency said that the amassed assets were beyond the known income sources.

The official said ACB had carried out searches at Chhagan Bhujbal's houses and offices and recovered documents showing properties at several places in the city, satellite cities of Mumbai as well as at Pune, Lonavala and Nashik.

According to the investigators, Bhujbal, along with Pankaj, Sameer and Naik, had allegedly opened bogus companies for money laundering, police said.

In February this year, ACB had filed a charge sheet against Bhujbal and his kin in the multi-crore rupee Maharashtra Sadan construction scam. Subsequently, Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the Chhagan Bhujbal, the senior NCP leader, and Sameer in a money laundering case connected to the scam. Both of them are currently lodged at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
.