Sharad Pawar mum on Bhujbal; says he will speak at appropriate time

Mumbai, Jun 17: At a time when his senior party colleague Chhagan Bhujbal is in mounting trouble due to a spate of FIRs and searches, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said here today that he would speak about the issue at an appropriate time.

"The process of investigation and action is on. I read in newspapers and saw on TV news channels that something happened yesterday," Pawar said referring to searches carried out at Bhujbal family properties by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

"Maybe something will happen today also. I don't know. It won't be appropriate on my part to say something on the issue when the investigation process is on," Pawar told reporters here.

"I will speak about this matter at an appropriate time," the former Union minister said. "Some of you (reporters), some channels say Sharad Pawar isn't answering queries (about the Bhujbal issue). It is simple. When the investigation is at this stage, it is not right for a responsible person like me to comment about this," Pawar said.

"Somebody can claim that I made a political statement and put pressure (on the investigating machinery)," Pawar said.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate registered two cases against former Maharashtra PWD minister Bhujbal today, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The first case against Bhujbal pertains to the Maharashtra Sadan scam and allotment of land in Kalina, while the second case is for allocation of land for a housing project in Navi Mumbai.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Maharashtra Police conducted searches at various properties belonging to Bhujbal as well as his family members in Nashik, Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

Bhujbal has reacted to the development saying that he is being targeted by the BJP-Shiv Sena government in an "unprecedented" manner.

PTI