The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday attached one more property of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal — a sugar mill and 290 acres of prime land worth Rs 55 crore — in connection with the money launderi
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday attached one more property of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal — a sugar mill and 290 acres of prime land worth Rs 55 crore — in connection with the money laundering case against him. According to sources, ED officials had already sent a prohibitory order to the Girna Sugar Mill and the 290-acre land located near the mill.
Sources said that in 2004, the court issued an order to auction the property of Girna Sugar Mill to recover the Rs 11 crore-debt which Chhagan Bhujbal owed four banks including financial institutions. In 2010, an auction was conducted by the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT), but before the auction the sugar mill conducted a valuation by a private valuer, which according to social worker Medha Patkar, was deliberately shown to be less than the actual valuation of the property. The property was bought by Chhagan Bhujbal’s group Armstrong Infrastructure for just Rs 27 crore in 2010. The agency has issued provisional attachment orders for this property under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
ED officials arrested Chhagan and Sameer Bhujbal with the former being awarded judicial custody till March 31.
Sources say that Chhagan Bhujbal is now claiming that he is not aware of anything and it’s his nephew Sameer is the one who is privy to everything. However, ED sources say that on the basis of the answers given during questioning it seems that Sameer used to consult his uncle before taking any step.
