The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that it would complete the investigation against former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare for alleged money laundering and land grabbing within three months.
The ACB submitted a one-page report before the division bench of Justices NH Patil and SB Shukre, informing that the probe was still underway.
The High Court, in response to a public interest litigation filed by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, had earlier directed the ACB, city police’s Economic Offences Wing and the Raigad collector to conduct inquiry into the allegations and submit periodical reports.
Somaiya had sought a CBI probe alleging money laundering and land grabbing by various companies floated by Tatkare and his relatives, mainly in the neighbouring Raigad district.
The investigating agencies had time and again faced the ire of the court for failing to conduct a fair probe against the minister and his family.
Somaiya has listed 51 companies formed by Tatkare which have his family members and friends as directors, and alleged that they purchased benami lands in Maharashtra and indulged in money-laundering, causing loss to the public exchequer.
Tatkare, who held water resources portfolio in Congress-NCP government, has termed the allegations as false, malicious and “politically motivated” in his reply affidavit.
