Former Maha minister Hasan Mushrif seeks pre-arrest bail in case registered by ED

File Photo/PTI

Former Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif on Friday filed an anticipatory bail application in a court here in an alleged money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

He apprehended arrest under the garb of investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said.

The recent events and the manner in which the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was registered by the ED indicated "mala fide intent", and he fears that he would be arrested to "achieve oblique political conspiracy," the application said.

Mushrif, MLA from Kagal Assembly constituency in Kolhapur district, was rural development minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The ED has claimed suspicious flow of several crores of rupees from two companies "without having substantial business" to Sar Senapati Santaji Ghorpade Sugar Factory where Mushrif's sons Navid, Aabid and Sajid are directors or stakeholders.

Mushrif in his application claimed that he was summoned for probe -- despite lack of any incriminating material against him -- many times as predicted by BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya in tweets and press conferences.

The ED is making a desperate attempt to put him behind bars despite having no incriminating material against him, the plea said.

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The ED investigation was "nothing but the result of a motivated conspiracy, indicating clear mala fides so as to negatively affect the ever-rising political career of the applicant," Mushrif said in the application.

The special court for PMLA cases will hear the matter on March 27.

Mushrif has already moved the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the ED case against him.

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