More trouble for Chhagan Bhujbal: Bombay High Court orders SIT probe of PWD contracts

The Bombay High Court on Thursday ordered a probe by a special investigation team into the allegations of money laundering against former Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, his son Pankaj and nephew Sameer in connection with certain contracts awarded to private firms. The order came could add to Bhujbal's woes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Debendra Phadnavis recently gave a nod to an ACB probe into allegations against the NCP leader with regard to construction of New Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.

ST will comprise officers of Enforcement Directorate and the state anti-corruption bureau, said the bench, headed by Chief Justice Mohit Shah, in response to a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party. `An open inquiry' should be held into the allegations, it said, adding the probe should be over by February 28, 2015, and if it is not completed then an interim report should be filed. The petition alleges that as the PWD minister in the previous Congress-NCP governemnt, Bhujbal awarded contracts to certain private firms and in return kickbacks were paid to his institute, Mumbai Education Trust.