The Bombay High Court Wednesday granted bail to Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in a money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Chhagan and Sameer in 2016 on the charges that Chhagan and his associates allegedly misused their office and caused financial loss of Rs 845 crore to the state exchequer. Justice AS Gadkari granted bail to Sameer on the primary ground that all other 31 co-accused in the case, including Chhagan Bhujbal had been released on bail. On May 4, the HC had granted bail to Chhagan. The court also held that the charges against Sameer attract a maximum punishment of seven years and Sameer has been in custody for over two years. The court directed Sameer to appear before the investigating agency whenever required and also present himself before the special PMLA court in Mumbai on fixed dates without fail. Sameer is also asked to submit his address and passport to the investigating agency. The court has allowed Sameer to travel within Maharashtra and has directed him to furnish a surety of Rs 5 lakh to secure bail. Sameer’s counsel, Vikram Chaudhri, along with lawyers Sujay Kantawala and Shalabh Saxena, told the court that on November 23, 2017, the Supreme Court had declared Section 45 (offences to be cognizable and non-bailable) of the PMLA as unconstitutional. This section was a major impediment in securing bail for the accused in the PMLA case. Chaudhri also told the court that since the alleged main accused Chhagan Bhujbal had recently been granted bail by the High Court, his client should at least be granted interim bail. ED had arrested Sameer on February 1, 2016. On the Bombay High Court’s order on December 18, 2014, a Special Investigations Team (SIT) consisting of ED and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), was constituted to inquire into alleged malpractice in granting contracts for construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi and Kalina Library on the Kalina Campus of Mumbai University to KS Chamakar Enterprises and India Bulls Pvt LTD. According to ED, the senior Bhujbal was accused of misusing his post as Minister for PWD in Maharashtra Government, by granting contract for construction of Maharashtra Sadan, which subsequently led to money laundering by Sameer to the tune of Rs 845 crore.
