Chhagan Bhujbal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2016
Former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who has spent over two years in jail in connection with a money laundering case, was today granted bail by the Bombay High Court. Mr Bhujbal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March 2016.
One of the conditions the court imposed for bail is that Chhagan Bhujbal will have to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning whenever he is summoned.
The Enforcement Directorate alleges that the Bhujbals received kickbacks for awarding various government contracts, including the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, to the tune of Rs 870 crore. Part of this money, the ED claims, was parked abroad and also routed into India through various shell companies located across the country.
The 71-year-old had approached the high court for bail in January this year after a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court rejected his bail application in December last year. Mr Bhujbal's lawyers have argued that he has been in jail for two years while the maximum punishment under the sections he has been charged is seven years.
During his time in prison, Chhagan Bhujbal has been admitted to hospital as well. In March this year, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had cautioned Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that his government would be held responsible if jailed party leader Chhagan Bhujbal suffered any "untoward fate in the days to come".
In a letter written to Mr Fadnavis, Mr Pawar said that Chhagan Bhujbal was in jail since March 2016 and was in a fragile state of health.
According to Mr Bhujbal's lawyer, since the Enforcement Directorate has already filed a charge sheet and no custodial interrogation is required, Mr Bhujbal should be granted bail by the court. Chhagan Bhujbal's nephew Sameer Bhujbal has also been in jail in connection with the case and his son Pankaj Bhujbal has been questioned too.