NCP leader Eknath Khadse's wife denied pre-arrest bail; slapped with non-bailable warrant

In a big blow to NCP leader Eknath Khadse, a PMLA court in Mumbai denied pre-arrest bail to his wife Mandakini and issued a non-bailable warrant against her on Tuesday. After taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate, the court had summoned him, his wife and other accused in the case. While the former Minister sought exemption from appearance on health grounds, his wife applied for anticipatory bail. 

"The conduct of the accused No 3 (Mandakini Khadse) is noted. Today again, she is absent. The medical certificate relied on by her shows general ailments of fever, body ache and weakness. This medical ground is not satisfactory to exempt her from appearance in court," Special judge HS Satbhai was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Noting her repeated disobedience of the summons, the judge held that her absence is intentional. While Eknath Khadse was granted exemption from personal appearance, he and his wife were asked to appear in the PMLA court on October 21. At present, their son-in-law Girish Choudhary remains in judicial custody in connection with the MIDC land deal case. While Eknath Khadse is not a legislator at present, his name features in the list of 12 nominated members to the Maharashtra Legislative Council finalised by the MVA government. 

The details of the ED's case

As per the ECIR registered in October 2020 against Khadse, his wife Mandakini and son-in-law Girish Choudhari, the ED alleged a loss of Rs.62 crore to the public exchequer. According to the agency, Khadse misused his official position as the Maharashtra Revenue Minister in 2016 to manipulate the actual market price of a piece of land in Bhosari, Pune which was more than Rs.31 crore at that time. The ex-Muktainagar MLA has been accused of facilitating the purchase of this land at a low rate of Rs.3.75 crore with a "criminal intent" to later seek compensation from the MIDC which was to acquire the land in the future.

While Khadse has asserted that the land in question was bought by his wife and son-in-law legally, the agency claimed that its initial probe had uncovered evidence showing money laundering in the case. Conceding that the police had filed a closure report in a similar case registered in 2017, the ED pointed out that the report has not been accepted by a court in Pune. Moreover, it found out that the money used to buy the land came from 5 shell companies. As per sources, Choudhary was unable to explain the source of the transaction.