In a major relief to senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal, a special court in Mumbai has dropped money-laundering charges against him in a long-running case related to the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi.

The case dates back to the mid-2000s, when Bhujbal was serving as Maharashtra’s Public Works Department minister. During that period, a private construction firm was awarded the contract to build Maharashtra Sadan, the state government’s guest house in the national capital. The Enforcement Directorate later began investigating the deal, alleging financial irregularities.

As per the allegations, the investigating agency claimed that the cost of the project increased sharply after the contract was awarded and that illegal payments were made in return. The agency further alleged that money linked to the project was routed through companies associated with Bhujbal’s family members.

However, after examining the records and submissions, the special court ruled that there was no sufficient material to proceed with the case under money-laundering laws. The judge accepted the discharge pleas filed by Bhujbal and other accused persons, effectively ending the proceedings against them in this matter.

The money-laundering case was based on an earlier complaint registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. That case had already resulted in relief for Bhujbal and his family, as a court had cleared them of corruption charges in 2021. With the latest order, Bhujbal now stands discharged in both cases linked to the Maharashtra Sadan project.