Now, crack team goes after ‘Bhujbal Farms’

ARRIVES IN NASHIK TO TAKE STOCK OF THE NCP LEADER’S PROPERTY THERE

A special team of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) from Mumbai on Monday reached 'Bhujbal Farms' here to take stock of properties of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who is at present in judicial custody in a money laundering case.

An ACB official, who does not wish to be named, confirmed the development. “A team has been despatched to Bhujbal farms in Nashik to take stock of the properties.” the official said.

In February, the ACB had chargesheeted 17 people including Bhujbal in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan case.

In June 2015, the ACB had filed two First Information Reports. The first FIR was in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of a prime plot in Kalina to a Mumbai-based developer. The second FIR was in connection with corruption and irregularities at Maharashtra Sadan.

The officials had stated that for the construction of Maharashtra Sadan, the contractor firm, Chamankar Associates had allegedly transferred money to Niche Infrastructure and other companies in which Pankaj and Sameer were directors.

According to an ACB official, ”The case was based on documentary evidence including fund transfer and bank transactions.

It has been alleged by the ACB that the books of accounts were fudged and the officials had violated the norms. The contractors had earned eighty percent profit while they should have officially made only twenty percent profit.

The original cost estimate for Maharashtra Sadan was 13.5 crore but later it rose to 50 crore. Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer are presently lodged at the jail.

The Enforcement Directorate is likely to conduct a third and final round of attachment of assets of the Bhujbal family. The ED has attached Bhujbals’ assets worth Rs 433 crore in the Prevention of Money Laundering(PMLA) case.

Earlier, the ED officials had alleged that the Bhujbal family, along with several others, had conspired to divert or ‘launder’ kickbacks received by Chhagan Bhujbal, when he was Maharashtra’s Public Works Department minister.

In June 2015, the ED had filed a money laundering case against Chhagan Bhujbal and his relatives.