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Money-laundering case: ED questions Pankaj Bhujbal, it could be Chhagan's turn next

His son Pankaj was questioned by the ED on Tuesday. A member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Pankaj has been named in the enforcement case investigation report (ECIR) filed by the agency in June 2015.

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Pankaj Bhujbal walks out of the ED office in Ballard Pier on Tuesday.
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Chhagan Bhujbal, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra PWD minister, is likely to be summoned for questionning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Rs 840-crore money-laundering case committed by Bhujbals and their associates.

His son Pankaj was questioned by the ED on Tuesday. A member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Pankaj has been named in the enforcement case investigation report (ECIR) filed by the agency in June 2015.

According to senior ED officials, Pankaj has given "fresh details" related to various transactions allegedly done by him and his cousin, Sameer Bhujbal, with the help of bogus companies purpotedly floated to channelise funds for their own business benefits.

Sameer, who was arrested by ED in the same case earlier this month, has been sent to judicial custody till February 22.

"We are now verifying and cross-checking the authenticity of facts shared by him," he said.

With this, enforcement sleuths are getting ready to summon Chhagan Bhujbal to cross-examine the evidences, said an ED source.

"Pankaj is cooperating with the investigative officers. His replies are satisfactory and he does not sound evasive," said the source. "He could be summoned again," he added.

Pankaj was at the ED office in Mumbai's Ballard Pier for almost eight hours from 10:30 am. He was questioned by three senior officers under the provisions of the anti-money laundering Act.

ED had issued summons to Pankaj in Febuary first week and it had also seized his passport and some other documents.

Pankaj was accused of various charges, including embezzlement of funds in the Maharashtra Sadan scam and criminal breach of trust in a residential project at Navi Mumbai.

Largely, the questioning related to the money trail established by enforcement sleuths in the case so far. Related to the Maharastra Sadan scam, his role in Hex World project, promoted by a realty firm owned by him and Sameer and about the investment by the two firms in Singapore – Armstrong Global and Armstrong Infrastructure – set up by the duo to fund some unknown coal projects in Indonesia are also under probe.

So far, ED has attached three properties with an estimated worth of over Rs 280 crore in the case. Some other prime properties would also be attached soon.

The agency has filed two FIRs against the Bhujbals and 19 others under the provisions of the PMLA, based on the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) FIRs, to probe the Maharashtra Sadan construction scam and the Kalina land-grabbing case.

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