Mumbai, Jan 23 : Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) veteran Chhagan Bhujbal has been acquitted by a special PMLA court in Mumbai in the Maharashtra Sadan scam -- a money laundering case.

The order also clears his son Pankaj Bhujbal and nephew Sameer Bhujbal, bringing to an end a legal battle that began nearly a decade ago. When contacted, Bhujbal said he would give his reaction after receiving the court order.

The courtâ??s decision follows a 2021 ruling in which Bhujbal was discharged by an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in the predicate offence â?? the base corruption case. His legal team argued that since the primary corruption case had resulted in a discharge that was never challenged by the state, the money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) could not legally stand.

Special Judge R.N. Rokade accepted the defence plea, observing that under legal principles laid down by the Supreme Court, if an individual is acquitted or discharged in the scheduled offence, the money laundering proceedings cannot continue.

The case dates back to 2005-06, when Bhujbal, as Public Works Department (PWD) Minister in the then Congress-NCP government, allegedly awarded a contract for the construction of the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi to K.S. Chamankar Enterprises without inviting competitive tenders.

Investigators alleged that the contract was worth over Rs 100 crore and that the Bhujbal family received kickbacks in return for favouring the firm. The ACB claimed contractors earned an 80 per cent profit, far exceeding the permitted 20 per cent.

Following a public interest litigation (PIL) and allegations raised by activists, including Anjali Damania, the ACB registered an FIR in 2015 against the Bhujbals for cheating, forgery and corruption.

The ED later initiated a probe into the money laundering angle. In March 2016, Bhujbal was arrested and spent over two years in Arthur Road Jail, eventually securing bail in May 2018 on medical grounds.

A special ACB court discharged Bhujbal, Pankaj and Sameer from the original corruption case in 2021, stating there was insufficient evidence to prove the allegations of kickbacks or procedural irregularities.

Following the discharge, the Bhujbals moved the court to quash the EDâ??s money laundering case.

According to political observers, the ruling effectively clears the family of the most serious legal shadow looming over their political careers.

This acquittal is a major political victory for Chhagan Bhujbal, who is a prominent OBC leader in Maharashtra. Coming at a time when he is a key part of the Mahayuti government, the verdict silences long-standing "scam-tainted" allegations used by the opposition. Bhujbal has consistently maintained that the cases were "politically motivated" and a result of vendetta politics.

/IANS