Eknath Khadse Seeks Discharge in High-Profile Money Laundering Case

Senior political leader Eknath Khadse has filed a discharge application in a special court regarding an alleged money laundering case tied to a 2016 land deal in Pune. The court has requested the Enforcement Directorate's response to the pleas of Khadse, his wife, and his son-in-law.

In a significant development, senior political leader Eknath Khadse has moved a discharge application before a special court concerning an alleged money laundering case dating back to a 2016 land deal in Pune district.

Khadse's wife, Mandakini Khadse, and son-in-law, Girish Chaudhari, have also sought relief from the charges.

Special judge R N Rokade, who handles cases involving MPs and MLAs, heard the applications filed by Khadse's lawyer, Swapnil Ambure, and has sought the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) response.

Khadse, a former senior minister in the BHOJP-led government in Maharashtra, resigned in 2016 following accusations of misuse of power to facilitate a land purchase for his wife and son-in-law.

According to the ED, the Khadse family bought the land, worth Rs 31.01 crore, for just Rs 3.75 crore.

Although Khadse and his wife were accused, they were not arrested, unlike their son-in-law who was arrested in July 2021 and spent over two years in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Having been with the BJP for nearly four decades, Khadse left to join the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2020. Recently, he announced plans to rejoin the BJP, though he has yet to formalize the move.