SC dismisses ED's plea against Chhagan Bhujbal’s Bail in money laundering case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the bail granted to senior NCP leader and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal in a money laundering case.

A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan declined to interfere with the Bombay High Court's 2018 bail order, citing the passage of time. “The impugned orders granting bail were passed way back in 2018. No case for interference is made out at this stage under Article 136 of the Constitution. The SLPs are dismissed,” the bench observed.

Bhujbal’s Plea on Arrest Rejected

The court, however, rejected Bhujbal’s plea challenging the legality of his arrest, noting that since he had been on bail since 2018, there was no need to address the issue at this stage.

Background of the Case

Bhujbal was arrested after an ED investigation alleged that he and his associates misused their positions to cause financial losses to the government. The ED accused Bhujbal of awarding lucrative construction and development contracts, including the Maharashtra Sadan project in New Delhi, to a specific firm in exchange for kickbacks.

The ED further alleged that Bhujbal and his nephew, Sameer Bhujbal, funneled the illicit proceeds into shell companies under their control. The Bombay High Court granted bail to Bhujbal on May 4, 2018, after he spent over two years in custody.

The Supreme Court’s decision provides relief to Bhujbal while allowing him to continue on bail as the case progresses.