The Nationalist Congress Party on Monday described senior party leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s arrest as ‘vendetta politics’ by the Bharatiya Janata Party, and said there was no need to arrest him as he was cooperating with the Enforcement Directorate.
"This is vendetta politics by BJP. There was no need to arrest him as he was cooperating with the ED," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
“The ED could have filed the chargesheet even without the arrest. This shows the mindset of the BJP regime... NCP stands firmly behind Bhujbal,” he said.
Senior NCP leaders rushed to the official residence of Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde as news of Bhujbal’s arrest broke.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party said it is relieved that truth has prevailed through the courts of India.
AAP national spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said, on 26 August 2013 the Aam Aadmi Party had filed complaints with detailed proof that Bhujbal, in his tenure as the Public Works Department minister, awarded contracts to builders and then received kickbacks.
“We gave detailed proof of every transaction in nine different cases, where kickbacks were received and money was laundered. None of the state agencies acted on our complaint, so we forced to file a public interest litigation in the Bombay high court. On 18 December 2014 Chief Justice Mohit Shah appointed a special investigation team comprising the Anti Corruption Bureau and the Enforcement Directorate,” she said.
“Time and again the court reprimanded the BJP-controlled ACB to act, but it continued to go in slow mode. Finally, the ED acted on the HC’s direction and first arrested Sameer Bhujbal and now Chhagan Bhujbal. Please note that they have been arrested under section 19 (1) of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering) Act -- a money laundering charge and not on Maharashtra Sadan complaint filed by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya,” she said.
"The AAP is relieved that truth has prevailed and will continue to fight and expose corruption by the Congress, the BJP, and their cronies,” the AAP spokesperson said.
BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said, “At last Chhagan Bhujbal has been arrested. Now it is the turn of irrigation scam’s Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare to follow Bhujbal.”
Social activist Anjali Damania said she was very happy that her efforts of four years against Bhujbal’s alleged corruption has been paid off.
