Mumbai, Feb 4 (PTI) – The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Suraj Chavan in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the distribution of 'khichdi' packets to migrant workers during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Justice Milind Jadhav, presiding over the bail application, ruled in favor of Chavan, citing his year-long incarceration and the unlikelihood of an early trial completion. The court emphasized that prolonged detention would infringe on his fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees a speedy trial and personal liberty.
Case Background and Allegations
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chavan, a core committee member of the Yuva Sena—the youth wing of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)—in January 2024. The case originated from an FIR registered by the Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).As per the ED's investigation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) transferred ₹8.64 crore to the bank account of Force One Multi Services for distributing khichdi packets to migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ED alleged that Force One Multi Services generated illicit proceeds of ₹3.64 crore, out of which:
- ₹1.25 crore was transferred to Chavan's bank account
- ₹10 lakh was sent to his partnership firm, Fire Fighters Enterprises
Legal Arguments
Advocate Ashok Mundargi, representing Chavan, argued that his client was not named as an accused in the original FIR or Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and was arrested solely based on co-accused statements. He contended that using the statements of accused individuals as primary evidence for Chavan’s arrest was unfair and that his client was targeted for political reasons.On the other hand, the ED opposed the bail plea, arguing that the amount of money involved in the case was substantial, making Chavan ineligible for bail.
Court’s Decision
After reviewing both arguments, the High Court noted that:- Chavan had been in custody for over a year.
- The trial had not progressed, with charges yet to be framed.
- The ED had listed 20 prosecution witnesses, making an early trial completion improbable.
- Chavan had cooperated with the investigation and made all required disclosures.
Bail Conditions
The court directed Chavan’s release on a provisional cash bail of ₹1 lakh and allowed him to furnish one or two sureties of the same amount within four weeks. Additionally, he cannot leave Maharashtra without prior permission from the trial court.This ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing probe, highlighting concerns over delayed trials and the right to personal liberty under the Constitution.