NCP chief and Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, his son Pankaj, nephew and former MP Sameer have been on Thursday acquitted by a particular court docket within the Maharashtra Sadan case, which is being probed by the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Was. Bhujbal is among the many eight accused who’ve been acquitted by the court docket.
ACB’s case to this point
In 2012, BJP chief Kirit Somaiya approached the ACB and demanded a probe into the Maharashtra Sadan venture.
In 2014, the Bombay High Court arrange a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of corruption in opposition to Bhujbal primarily based on a PIL filed by activist Anjali Damania with the Aam Aadmi Party. It was then alleged that in 2006, when Bhujbal was Minister of State within the Public Works Department (PWD), there have been irregularities in awarding contracts value over Rs 100 crore for 3 tasks.
In 2015, an FIR was registered in opposition to Bhujbal and others by the state ACB after which by the ED. It was claimed that contracts have been awarded to Chamankar Developers for the development of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, a brand new Regional Transport Office (RTO) constructing at Andheri and a state visitor home at Malabar Hill. The companies claimed that the companies and trusts managed by the Bhujbal household have been awarded contracts in change for bribes with out following correct guidelines.
Bhujbal was arrested by the ED in March 2016. He remained behind bars in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail till he was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in May 2018.
Earlier this yr, Bhujbal had filed a discharge software within the particular court docket which was allowed on Thursday. Bhujbal, nonetheless, will proceed to face proceedings earlier than the Enforcement Directorate, which had registered a separate money-laundering case primarily based on the offense filed by the ACB. The listening to on the discharge functions filed by the accused within the ED case is happening.
ACB’s allegation
Bhujbal and others have been booked underneath costs together with dishonest, forgery, legal conspiracy, legal breach of belief and related sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The matter pertains to the state authorities owned land in Andheri. Part of this land was occupied by the slums which shaped a society and within the yr 1997-98 a decision was handed by means of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority for his or her redevelopment. KS Chamankar Enterprises was appointed because the developer. PS Chamankar & Associates was the architect. Later each the companies have been named as accused within the case.
It was submitted earlier than the court docket that there was issue in demarcating the extent of the land into consideration and a few portion of the adjoining RTO land was required. PS Chamankar wrote a letter to the Transport Department in 2000 to get NOC from RTO. The architect agency additionally sought to develop some a part of the RTO plot for the transport division. However then this proposal was rejected.
It was alleged earlier than the court docket that in 2001 the agency once more made a suggestion to Bhujbal, who was then the Minister of State. He directed the involved departments to take acceptable motion. Thereafter, between 2001 and 2006, after being positioned for motion earlier than numerous departments, together with the PWD, of which Bhujbal was the then minister, the proposal to develop the land was accepted on the situation that the agency would assemble Rs 100 crore. Will do State Government together with Maharashtra Sadan at Delhi with different circumstances.
The chargesheet of the ACB alleges that Bhujbal, together with different public servants, have prompted undue hurt to the federal government by the companies. It was claimed {that a} false place report was ready together with a false stability sheet with improper calculation for revenue to the agency. It was alleged that the potential revenue proven was 1.33 per cent, it was greater than 365 per cent. Other irregularities in land use, building have been alleged. Although the standing report is a vital a part of the case because the ACB alleges that it exhibits that the federal government has suffered, the accused says that the calculations present that there was no loss.
protection of the arm
Bhujbal’s legal professionals argued for discharge, saying the grievance was filed on the premise of flawed calculations and the choice to award the contract was taken by the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee headed by then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. He had additionally stated that he had no position within the choice of the developer because the agency was appointed in 1998. The detailed order on his plea is but to be made out there.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
