Eknath Khadse's son-in-law remanded to ED custody till 16 July in money laundering case

NCP leader Eknath Khadse's son-in-law Girish Choudhary has been remanded to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till July 19 in a money laundering case, news agency ANI reported. The investigation linked to an alleged 2016 government land grab case in Pune.

Last week, Choudhary was arrested by ED and later produced before a special court, which tries cases registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He was sent to the ED custody till July 12.

Officials had alleged that Chaudhari was not cooperative during the questioning and hence was placed under arrest so that he can be put under custodial interrogation.

Khadse, 68, had left the BJP to join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of former Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar last year.

The ED case stems from a Pune police anti-corruption bureau (ACB) FIR filed against Khadse, his wife Mandakini and Chaudhari in April, 2017.

The agency claimed that alleged irregularities in the land deal caused a loss of ₹61.25 crore to the exchequer "by fraudulently entering into a sale deed".

The plot, owned by state-run MIDC, under the scanner is located in the Haveli Taluka of Bhosari, a suburb of Pune district and it bears the survey no 52/2A/2.

Khadse was questioned in the case by the ED for about six hours in January this year and his statement was recorded.

(With inputs from agencies)