Maharashtra
Bombay HC Quashes PMLA Case Against Chamankar Enterprises In Maharashtra Sadan Contract Row
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday quashed the money laundering case against Chamankar Enterprises and its three partners, who were accused of irregularities in the award of contracts for the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, the RTO building at Tardeo and an SRA project in Kalina.
A bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Rajesh Patil quashed the FIR against Krishna Shantaram Chamankar, Prashant Shantaram Chamankar, and Prasanna Shantaram Chamankar and their firm Chamankar Enterprises.
They had moved the HC after the special PMLA court in October 2024 declined to discharge them, holding that the “scheduled offence is not finally absolved by a court on account of discharge.”
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had booked Chamankars in 2015, alleging that in return for the projects, kickbacks were paid to family members of then PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
Although the ACB case was closed in July 2021, with the trial court discharging the firm and its directors, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued with a prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the same allegations.
Petitioners’ counsel pointed out that the discharge order passed by the special court on July 31, 2021, had not been challenged for over four years and had thus “attained finality”.
The trial court had categorically held that Maharashtra Sadan and other projects “were constructed as per the contract” and that “there was no material against the petitioners”, their plea contended.
The ED opposed the plea, citing a Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) High Court ruling that PMLA prosecution can continue even if the predicate offence is quashed. However, the agency admitted that they were discharged from the predicate offence.
The HC rejected this argument, stressing that the J&K ruling had no binding effect in Maharashtra and that the Supreme Court’s precedents in other cases were clear.
“It is an admitted fact on record that the petitioners have been discharged by the trial court from the predicate offence registered by the ACB, and the said order has attained finality,” the bench observed in its detailed order.
Relying on the apex court’s finding that acquittal or discharge in the predicate offence extends to those named in a related PMLA case, the HC held: “The conclusion enumerated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court…. squarely applies. Therefore, the ECIR and the charge-sheet filed thereof deserve to be quashed and set aside.”
The Maharashtra Sadan, the state government’s guesthouse in New Delhi, was redeveloped during Chhagan Bhujbal’s tenure as PWD minister. The project became the centre of a major controversy after allegations surfaced that contracts were awarded to firms linked to Bhujbal’s associates in exchange for kickbacks.
The ACB registered a case in 2015, leading to Bhujbal’s arrest and prosecution. Although the Chamankars were named in the alleged scam, the trial court in 2021 discharged them, finding no irregularities in the awarding of contracts or execution of work.
Bhujbal was arrested in 2015 and remained in custody until he was granted bail by the HC in 2018. In 2021, a special court discharged Bhujbal, his son Pankaj, nephew Sameer (former MP), and five others from the ACB case.
Maharashtra
Case registered against Bajrang Dal workers for bringing pigs to create ruckus in Mira Bhayander, two FIRs registered for disturbing the environment

The police have registered a case against the miscreants for creating a ruckus and disturbing the environment in Poonam Coaster Society, two cases of interference in the communal and government work. On the other hand, the police have registered a case under the Maharashtra Police Act against 50 to 60 volunteers including Bajrang Dal’s Nagnath Kamble for disturbing the order. In Poonam Coaster, two cases of rioting and one case of assault and injury to a Bajrang Dal volunteer have been registered in this case. The accused has been arrested, while the investigation of the other two cases is underway. All three cases have been registered at Kashi Mira Police Station.
Regarding the above-mentioned cases, tension had arisen due to the tethering of goats in the premises of the Poonam Cluster One building society in Kashmira police station limits. Three crimes have been registered in Kashi Mira police station limits.
A case under Section 118(1), 115(2) of the IPC has been registered at Kashi Mira Police Station. According to the details, at 12.50 pm, on the footpath in front of the cake shop near the gate of Poonam Cluster 01, Mira Road East District Police Station, Poonam Cluster 01 Society Bajrang Dal worker Nath Kamble along with some residents of the society were present here and were talking to Nagnath. An attacker, aged around 40 to 45 years, dressed in a white full-length shirt and blue jeans, tried to stab Nagnath Kamble from behind with a knife. At that time, the plaintiff brought his left hand into the bag to save him. When 16-year-old Karan Jain, who was standing behind the plaintiff, tried to catch her, she punched Karan Jain on the right cheek and then the attacker attacked and fled. In this case, the police have arrested the accused after registering a case. Now, along with this, the police have registered a case under sections 132, 196, 3(5) of the BNS. In this case, the police have arrested Bajrang Dal worker Durgesh Jaiswal, aged 30 to 35 years, 2. Harsh Singh, 22 to 25 years 3. Mohit Chaurasia, aged 35 years, a resident of Mira Bhayander, a 25 to 30-year-old young man wearing a blue half-t-shirt and black pants, long hair, raised religious slogans here. In addition, by bringing the white pig to this location and trying to forcefully take it into the premises of the society, they raised provocative slogans that promoted enmity between classes on the basis of religion and caste, incited hatred, disrupted harmony and disrupted public order, tried to take the pig into the premises of the society, protested against the government and tried to incite violence among Muslims. When the police intervened in this matter, they obstructed the performance of official duties. The police have registered a case in this matter. Similarly, the police have also registered a case against the Bajrang Dal activists who spread unrest here. The police have registered a case under the Maharashtra Police Act against them. They include Bajrang Dal activists Nagnath Kamble aged 50 to 55 years, Rupesh Dubey aged 40 to 45 years, Ankit Mishra aged 25 to 30 years, Rakesh Kotian, Suraj Sahu aged 25 to 30 years, Pawan Thakur, Bhajayal Rashyal, and others aged 50 to 60 years. All of them had created a ruckus in the society here along with destroying the peace of the society and trying to spoil the situation, after which the police took this action. Now peace has been established here but tension also persists.
Maharashtra
Fugitive accused arrested in Mumbai Powai murder case, anger over dispute a week ago was the motive for the murder, police investigation after the murder concluded

Mumbai: Crime Branch Unit 10 has claimed to have arrested the absconding accused involved in the murder from Surat Gujarat. According to the details, on May 24, the body of a 55-year-old man named Yusuf was found in Powai Tanga village, Saki Vihar. Someone had stabbed him to death with a sharp weapon and stabbed him on the chest. The police registered a murder case in this matter and started investigation. Then they examined about 100 CCTV footage in this matter and it was found that the accused had fled after the murder in Gujarat. After that, the police arrested the accused from here and handed him over to Powai police for further action. The accused, Deepak alias Deepa Nathu Prasad Verma, 26, had an argument with Yusuf over something a week ago, which angered him and he killed Yusuf and fled. The police have taken action in this matter and claimed to have arrested the accused and solved the case. This action was taken by DCP Detection Nonath Dhole on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. .
Maharashtra
Mumbai ANC Action Drug trafficker Haroon sent to Yeru Da Jail for one year

Mumbai: Anti-Narcotics Cell ANC has sent drug smuggler Haroon Farooq Khan (41) to Pune Yerwada Jail for one year. A case has been registered against him under the NDPS Act. The accused was found involved in drug trafficking even after being released on bail, so while taking action against him, ANC proposed action against him under the PIT NDPS Act, 1988 and after approval from the Home Ministry, he has been sent to Yerwada Jail for one year. Haroon is active in drug trafficking. There are 8 NDPS cases registered against him in different police stations.
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