Withdraw plea, apologise: High Court tells Bhujbal’s advocate

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai, on Monday, directed a lawyer to withdraw a bail application he filed on behalf of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and also submit a written apology before the court for filing the bail plea without Bhujbal’s knowledge and permission.

On the last date of the hearing, Bhujbal’s lawyer Amit Desai had complained to court that some lawyer had filed a bail application on behalf of Bhujbal seeking bail on the ground that he should be allowed to celebrate Holi.

Advocate Desai had argued that they understand the seriousness of the matter in which Bhujbal is arrested and they would never file bail plea for celebrating Holi. He had requested the court to not consider that bail application and said that steps should be taken to ensure that such an incident does not occur in the future.

He had informed the court that the bail application was filed without Bhujbal’s knowledge and permission and even the vakalatnama filed by the advocate, who filed the bail application, does not bear Bhujbal’s signature, so the court should reject that application and also take appropriate steps so that such an act is not repeated.

Special judge P.R. Bhavake then said that he would do the needful on the date when the bail application was listed for hearing.

On Monday, the judge asked advocate M.V. Holmagi to withdraw the bail plea and also submit a written apology for filing a bail application without a vakalatnama by Tuesday morning.

The judge also told the lawyers appearing on behalf of Bhujbal that he would decide on the application of Bhujbal to have home food, medicines in judicial custody, on April 13.