Mumbai: The Bombay High Court here today granted a bail to former Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in money laundering case.
Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal had moved the Bombay High Court against a special court’s order rejecting their bail pleas in a money laundering case.
The court granted a bail on a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh. He has been asked to surrender passport, and not to leave Mumbai without the permission of the court.
In December last year, a Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court had rejected their bail pleas.
Chhagan Bhujbal, who had held the public works department minister, was arrested in March 2016 after a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which claimed he and his associates misused their position and caused losses to the state exchequer.
The PMLA court had declined them bail after the anti- money laundering agency said the Bhujbals were influential and had a history of having threatened some co-accused in the case.
Reacting to the development, former AAP leader and activist Anjali Damania tweeted, “Shri Chhagan Bhujbal granted bail by Mumbai High Court. NCP seems to be celebrating. But I would like to remind them that this is only a bail. He has not been acquitted. All charges against him have been established and it is a matter of time before he goes back to prison.”