Mumbai Court Discharges Chhagan Bhujbal and 24 Others in PMLA Case

A Mumbai special court has discharged Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal and approximately 24 other accused, including his relatives Samir and Pankaj Bhujbal, from a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case. The court cited their prior acquittal in a corruption case registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed the PMLA case based on the ACB investigation into the Maharashtra Sadan scam. The ACB had alleged that bribes totaling around ₹5 crore were paid for awarding contracts related to the renovation and construction of the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. While the ED opposed Bhujbal's discharge plea, the court granted it, stating that since the predicate offense in the ACB case had concluded, the PMLA case was no longer sustainable. However, some accused in the case have not yet received relief.