Mumbai: Court rejects Uttam Khobragade's anticipatory bail

Uttam Khobragade. File pic

The special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail of retired IAS officer and former vice president of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) former vice president Uttam Khobragade in a land misuse case.

Judge AD Tankhiwala, of special ACB court rejected the application on Thursday. Khobragade had approached the court on Wednesday in an alleged land misuse case, which is registered against 17 people, including politicians Sameer and Pankaj Bhujbal. In his application, Khobragade said he has no involvement in the case also because he was part of MHADA for a short period. He also claimed that involving him in this case is nothing but political agenda.

His application also said that during his short stint in MHADA, he did not give a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the conversion of residential land for commercial purposes. The prosecution, however, opposed the bail and told court that ACB has enough evidence to show him as an accused.

The prosecution also argued before the court saying that, according to Section 16 of the MHADA Act, residential land cannot be used for commercial purpose without the direction of state government and thus, there are evidences to prove the guilt of the accused.

The case alleges that Khobragde purchased government land in Oshiwara, which was actually marked for a residential project, and constructed a commercial complex there. According to officials, Sameer and Pankaj and directors of Bhavesh Builders Private Ltd, bought the plot and formed Oshiwara Tulsi Co-operative Housing Society. Co-accused Shirish Shrugarpure, land surveyor, Suryakant Deshmukh, assistant land record surveyor, and Suresh Karande, a MHADA official allegedly did not verify the documents before giving sanction. Five other government officials, including Khobragade are alleged to have sanctioned the project.