Enforcement Directorate seizes Rs 90-crore assets of Chhagan Bhujbal

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized 22 properties worth Rs 90 crore in Maharashtra belonging to former state deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in connection with a money-laundering case.

The ED is also expected to attach his residential properties in Maharashtra. Officials on Thursday confirmed that the ED had attached properties of Bhujbal, namely, Sai Kunj building, an industrial plot in Nashik, a winery and agricultural plot, a grapes plantation in Nashik and one non-agricultural plot in Nashik. All the properties together are worth '90 crore, taking the estimated net worth of attached properties of the NCP leader to Rs 433 crore. Officials also confirmed that, within the next few days, they would also attach Bhujbal’s residential property in Mumbai and Nashik.

The ED, in June 2015, had registered two economic case information reports (ECIR) against Bhujbal and others under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In December 2015, the ED attached two properties belonging to Bhujbal’s family as part of its action against the alleged illegal financial transactions by the family’s company, Parvesh Constructions. The agency had attached a plot of land in Bandra and a residential property in Santa Cruz belonging to Parvesh Constructions, which is owned by Bhujbal’s son, Pankaj, and nephew, Sameer Bhujbal. In March, they had attached a sugar mill and over 290 acres of land worth Rs 55 crore in Nashik.

In March 2016, Bhujbal and Sameer were arrested by ED officials under the PMLA in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan construction scam. They were arrested following a 10-hour interrogation by the agency.

After he was arrested, Bhujbal filed a bail application almost two times but the court rejected it. On June 16, the Bombay high court rejected the bail application.