Chhagan Bhujbal, senior NCP leader and ex deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra has been moved back to the Arthur road jail after spending a long vacation in a private hospital for more than a month. Bhujbal is behind the bars since March 2016. Bhujbal was PWD minister in previous congress NCP government
Chhagan Bhujbal has been booked for various charges including money laundering and hawala as well. His nephew Sameer Bhujbal was arrested in February under section 19 of prevention of money laundering act (PMLA). According to ED Bhujbal has accepted the bribe for giving away the contracts in his tenure as a PWD minister and routed that cash to fake companies for laundering. Bhujbals have converted black money to white but failed to provide the income source.
They used Kolkata based companies for the laundering. Chhagan Bhujbal was not the director of any company but he was the driving force of the happenings. State has suffered losses of minimum of 1000 crore due to these malpractices as per ED officials. He also favoured contractors against bribes in Maharshtra Sadan in Delhi, Regional Transport Office in Andheri Mumbai, and State Guest House at high mount on Malbar Hills, Mumbai. The estimated amount of governments losses are said to be more than 100 crore in Maharashtra Sadan alone. Even these contracts were awarded without following rules.
ACB also has scanned through various dealings and properties of the Bhujbals and came across many irregularities. And the collected wealth of the accused leaves everyone speechless. They have more than 10 companies with them and failed to provide the funding source of the said companies. Officials claims that the contractors purchased shares of Jr Bhujbal’s companies in return of the contracts of Maharashtra Sadan, RTO building and Kalina central Library.
They also Invested money in the real estate as well. Bhujbal under the company name HeX Armstrong in Kharghar constructed societies. Hex Armstrong is the English translation of Chhagan Bhujbal’s name (Chhagan – Hexagon/ Hex; Bhujbal – Armstrong). Hex Armstrong was one of the companies operated anonymously by Bhujbal.
He has long history of corruption. He along with the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar was named by chief accused of Telgi stamp paper scam. That time he was able to evade the charges but this time he is under the clutches and he seems helpless.
Since the arrest Chhagan Bhujbal is trying every possible way to get out of jail. He approached ruling Shivsena for help, and Udhhav Thackeray even batted for his release against his own government but it didn’t pay off. He even played cheap caste card, and his aides called for OBC Morcha for his release stating that he is being framed as he is OBC leader and current government is anti-backward. He appealed to court that he is being illegally kept in custody by Enforcement Directorate, but it was discarded by court.
When he understood that he can’t get bail legally and has to remain in jail, he started searching for the loopholes of the system. One of the most common ways to evade bars for few days is getting in to the hospital by providing doctor’s recommendation. Initially he was moved to JJ hospital for check-up for his heart problems but he was found to be ok and was sent back to prison. But after few days one of the cardiologist BK Goyal asked him to undergo angiography. But Chhagan Bhujbal denied to undergo it in governments JJ Hospital and was shifted to a private hospital, where he stayed for almost a month. After media reports he has been sent back to his cell without any surgery.
It is less surprising politicians misusing their power for their benefits. On the humanitarian grounds our constitution has granted special medical privileges to inmates. So, its unethical to misuse it to evade jail. Our system has tried to bar the misuse by making doctor’s prescription mandatory for hospital stay but these criminals along with corrupt doctors are fooling judiciary.
Chhagan Bhujbal is as opportunistic as many politicians. He started his career with Shivsena became Mumbai’s Mayor, MLA and then switched to INC and then to NCP. He was the only OBC leader in Maratha dominated NCP, hence to get close to OBC votes he was chosen as deputy CM by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. By staying in power, he has accumulated tonnes of wealth by odd means. He along with his son Pankaj and nephew Sameer are chief accused of money laundering, Maharashtra Sadan Scam, Kalina land scam, Hawala, cash collected from MET, and various other charges.
Fadanvis government has successfully convinced OBC’s of Maharashtra that he is criminal and not a scapegoat, recent municipal elections of Maharashtra are the proofs. This is just the beginning of the cleansing and Maharashtra state government is zero tolerant against corruption. Expelling senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse from cabinet for alleged corruption charges is clear cut indication that this government is not going to spare anyone.
Chhagan Bhujbal once got away with the stamp paper scam but this time with the bundle of the evidences against him, it seems impossible for him to get away with corruption.