 "Chhagan Bhujbal's arrest rocks Maha Legislature, ED gets custody till March 17")
The arrest of veteran NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal by the ED in connection with its probe in a money laundering case rocked Maharashtra Legislature Tuesday with protesting opposition Congress and NCP members alleging it was "vendetta politics" of the BJP-led Government.
A day after Bhujbal's arrest in connection with the alleged scam in construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi Monday, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court sent the 68-year-old former Deputy Chief Minister in Enforcement Directorate(ED) custody till March 17.
Bhujbal was produced before the court where ED counsel Hiten Venegaonkar said the former PWD minister did not cooperate when his statement was recorded by the agency yesterday.
"For most of the questions put to him, his answer was 'he doesn't know'," Venegaonkar told the court.
Bhujbal became emotional while pleading innocence and his eyes became misty.
He told the court that he had not done anything wrong and that he was being framed as part of a conspiracy.
"I have not done anything wrong. I have cooperated. I have been into social service for the past 50 years. When some questions were put to me (by ED), I genuinely said that I did not know, but still I was arrested," he said.
Rejecting the opposition charge, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Legislative Assembly that Bhujbal's arrest was not an act of vendetta and the ED had acted "only after concrete proof" and that the state government has nothing to do with it.
"Should ED keep quiet if there has been corruption?" he asked.
"We will not help those seeking to suppress scams," he said, adding, "it is unfortunate that discussion in the House, instead of centring on drought situation, should be on this issue".
The Assembly was adjourned four times and the opposition members walked out of the house while the Council was adjourned for the day following ruckus over the issue.
As the proceedings began in the House, opposition members started shouting slogans condemning the arrest of the senior NCP leader, a sitting MLA from Yeola in Nashik district.
The House was initially adjourned for 10 minutes and later three more times as the noisy scenes continued.
The Opposition members later staged a walkout from the House for the day, protesting the "vendetta politics" of the government.
In Legislative Council, the Congress and NCP forced the adjournment of the House for the day over the issue.
As the Upper House assembled, the opposition members, via an adjournment motion, called for the House to set aside the day's business and discuss the arrest.
Opposition Leader Dhananjay Munde, who moved the motion, held that Bhujbal was a former Deputy Chief Minister, a former LoP, an ex-member of the Council, and his arrest has had repercussions across the state.
"People across the state are angry and are protesting over the manner in which he was arrested despite cooperating with the investigation agencies. It is thus imperative that all other business must be set aside and the House discuss the issue," Munde said.
A day after Bhujbal's arrest in connection with the alleged scam in construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi Monday, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court sent the 68-year-old former Deputy Chief Minister in Enforcement Directorate(ED) custody till March 17.
Read more from our special coverage on "CHHAGAN BHUJBAL"
Bhujbal was produced before the court where ED counsel Hiten Venegaonkar said the former PWD minister did not cooperate when his statement was recorded by the agency yesterday.
"For most of the questions put to him, his answer was 'he doesn't know'," Venegaonkar told the court.
Bhujbal became emotional while pleading innocence and his eyes became misty.
He told the court that he had not done anything wrong and that he was being framed as part of a conspiracy.
"I have not done anything wrong. I have cooperated. I have been into social service for the past 50 years. When some questions were put to me (by ED), I genuinely said that I did not know, but still I was arrested," he said.
Rejecting the opposition charge, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Legislative Assembly that Bhujbal's arrest was not an act of vendetta and the ED had acted "only after concrete proof" and that the state government has nothing to do with it.
"Should ED keep quiet if there has been corruption?" he asked.
"We will not help those seeking to suppress scams," he said, adding, "it is unfortunate that discussion in the House, instead of centring on drought situation, should be on this issue".
The Assembly was adjourned four times and the opposition members walked out of the house while the Council was adjourned for the day following ruckus over the issue.
As the proceedings began in the House, opposition members started shouting slogans condemning the arrest of the senior NCP leader, a sitting MLA from Yeola in Nashik district.
The House was initially adjourned for 10 minutes and later three more times as the noisy scenes continued.
The Opposition members later staged a walkout from the House for the day, protesting the "vendetta politics" of the government.
In Legislative Council, the Congress and NCP forced the adjournment of the House for the day over the issue.
As the Upper House assembled, the opposition members, via an adjournment motion, called for the House to set aside the day's business and discuss the arrest.
Opposition Leader Dhananjay Munde, who moved the motion, held that Bhujbal was a former Deputy Chief Minister, a former LoP, an ex-member of the Council, and his arrest has had repercussions across the state.
"People across the state are angry and are protesting over the manner in which he was arrested despite cooperating with the investigation agencies. It is thus imperative that all other business must be set aside and the House discuss the issue," Munde said.