Mumbai: A case was registered against former PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday for irregularities in allotment of a prime piece of land in Kalina to a leading developer for construction of a library.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau registered offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC after investigation showed that in lieu of allotment of the land, a trust floated by the Bhujbal family received kickbacks of Rs 2.5 crore from Indiabulls.
The state had struck a Rs 124 crore deal under which Indiabulls would build the library on a part of the plot and build luxury flats on the rest. Indiabulls declined to comment. Chhagan Bhujbal and five others (see box) have been ac cused of misusing their official position for personal gains (PCA) and cheating and forgery (IPC).
"I will fight the case tooth and nail. In my opinion, there was nothing illegal or criminal in allotting the land to Indiabulls under the publicprivate partnership scheme.The proposal was approved by a high-level cabinet subcommittee headed by the then chief minister. If the ACB has the guts, it should book the entire cabinet sub-committee led by the then CM," Bhujbal told TOI.
Sources said it would be wrong to drag Indiabulls into the controversy. "Indiabulls followed laid-down procedure and bagged the contract. In fact, it has suffered huge financial losses. The library building has been handed over, but it has not been able to construct private apartments owing to lack of permissions," the source said.
The ACB move is being seen as the biggest setback for Bhujbal in his political career, and a blow to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP as it is celebrating its 16th foundation day. Top NCP leaders Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare (irrigation scam), and Bhujbal's son Pankaj and nephew Sameer (Sadan scam) are also under the ACB scanner.
"I have faced several inquiries and came out clean. In fact, I am used to such probes and now also, I am sure nothing will come out (of the case). It will be just another phase in my life," Bhujbal added.
Besides the Kalina land scam, Bhujbal is under investigation for largescale illegalities in the construction of the Maharashtra Sadan guest house in Delhi, the Andheri RTO office and another guest house in south Mumbai, and several other projects highlighted in a PIL by AAP leader Anjali Damania in the Bombay high court.
In the Kalina case, the PIL alleges that the PWD led by Bhujbal struck a Rs 124 crore deal with Indiabulls to construct a library for Mumbai University on nearly 24,438 sq m of a prime plot in Kalina and allowed the developer to construct residential apartments on the remaining 7,000 sq m. In lieu, Indiabulls gave a donation of Rs 2.5 crore to the Chhagan Bhujbal Welfare Foundation. All members of the Bhujbal family are beneficiaries of the foundation.
"The team has completed its probe into the Kalina land scam and has filed a first information report. The FIR will be placed before the high court on Tuesday," a BJP minister said.
Bhujbal was instrumental in the allotment of the plot to Indiabulls and successfully placed the proposal before the infra structure committee. "Legally, it was not possible to allot the land to the developer on a nominal lease rent of Re 1 for 99 years. Bhujbal and some PWD of ficials prepared a report... He used forged documents... In the entire process, Bhujbal was the biggest beneficiary," said ACB investigating officer Balkrishna Dinkar Ghadigaonkar.
The land allotment and donation by Indiabulls to the Bhuj bal foundation are chronologil cally connected. "Donations accepted by the Bhujbal foundation amounts to corruption," Ghadigaonkar added.
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