NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader and former Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection of Maharashtra, Chhagan Bhujbal might be entering troubled waters once more. The court has agreed to hear the plea of 3 accused as pardon witnesses in the Maharashtra Sadan case which led to Bhujbal's incarceration for two years.
In 2016, the Enforcement Directorate filed a case against Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj Bhujbal, and 51 others in the case of misappropriating funds of 850 crore while building New Delhi's Maharashtra Sadan. Three accused namely Sunil Naik, Sudhir Ghosalkar, and Amit Balraj are under arrest for the scandal.
The three had appealed to the court to be presented as pardon witnesses. Finally, a special court under Mumbai's Sessions Court has accepted the plea and agreed to hold a hearing. Hence, matters could get worse for Bhujbal.
What accusations does Bhujbal face?
When Bhujbal was Minster of Public Works, the scam regarding the construction of New Delhi's Maharashtra Sadan had come to the front which implicated him directly. Bhujbal had been said to have taken bribes worth lakhs from multiple contractors during the construction. ED had filed a case against the NCP leader which led to his sentencing of two years in jail.
Meanwhile, Chhagan Bhujbal has been caught up in a heated public argument with Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil for the past couple of weeks. The court hearing could add to a list of Bhujbal's increasing problems. It is imperative to see what happens next for Bhujbal.