Special Court Cancels Non-Bailable Warrants Against NCP Leader Eknath Khadse and Wife
In a significant legal development, a special court in Mumbai on Friday provided relief to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse and his wife Mandakini by cancelling the non-bailable warrants (NBWs) previously issued against them. The decision came after the couple appeared in person before the court and presented a Bombay High Court order that stays the proceedings.
Court Proceedings and Warrant Cancellation
The proceedings unfolded before special judge Mahesh Jadhav at the designated court for MPs and MLAs in Mumbai. The court had issued the NBWs last week after the Khadses failed to appear for the framing of charges in the case. However, on Friday, the couple appeared suo moto (on their own initiative) and submitted medical documents to justify their prior absence.
While cancelling the warrants, Judge Jadhav directed both Eknath Khadse and Mandakini Khadse to pay a fine of Rs 500 each. The defence team, led by advocate Ashish Vernekar, presented a crucial order from the Bombay High Court, which the Khadses had approached earlier. The High Court has instructed the special court to defer the hearing until February 24, effectively putting the proceedings on hold.
Background of the Case
The case, initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), revolves around alleged irregularities in a 2016 land deal in Bhosari, Pune. The warrants were issued in two separate but related cases:
- The Anti-Corruption Bureau's corruption case
- The related money laundering case being investigated by the ED
Both cases are being tried by the same special court. The allegations involve the purported misuse of official position to purchase land in Bhosari that was already acquired by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). Along with Eknath Khadse and Mandakini Khadse, their son-in-law Girish Chaudhari is also named as an accused in the case.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
The cancellation of the non-bailable warrants marks a temporary reprieve for the Khadses, but the legal battle is far from over. The Bombay High Court's intervention and the subsequent stay on proceedings indicate the complexity of the case, which involves multiple agencies and serious allegations of corruption and money laundering.
The case highlights the ongoing scrutiny of political figures in Maharashtra regarding land deals and alleged financial irregularities. With the next hearing scheduled after February 24, all eyes will be on how the special court proceeds once the High Court stay is lifted and whether the Khadses maintain their compliance with court directives.
