Ex-Minister Eknath Khadse Faces Trial in Land Deal Money Laundering Case

A special court has moved forward with money laundering charges against former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, his wife, and son-in-law related to a land deal in Pune. The court emphasized sufficient evidence exists for trial, detailing Khadse's apparent misuse of his position.

In a significant development, a special court has dismissed the discharge applications of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, along with his family members, in a high-profile money laundering case linked to a land transaction in Pune.

The decision, rendered by the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, necessitates the appearance of Khadse, his wife Mandakini, and son-in-law Girish Chaudhari on December 18 to hear the charges. This follows a prior refusal to discharge them under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court's directive came in the wake of an Enforcement Directorate investigation, initiated after an Anti-Corruption Bureau FIR, alleging Khadse's misuse of ministerial power to acquire land valued at Rs 31.01 crore for Rs 3.75 crore. Khadse resigned amid these allegations in 2016.

(With inputs from agencies.)