Vasai-Virar ex-civic chief's arrest in money laundering case 'illegal', says HC

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday held as illegal the arrest of Anil Pawar former chief of the VasaiVirar civic body in Maharashtras Palghar by the Enforcement Directorate ED in a money laundering case and ordered his release reported news agency PTIA bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad said the ED did not have tangible material at the time of his arrestWe have formed an opinion that as on August 13 2025 the arresting officer has no such material as required under section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act reason to believe that person is guilty of offence the HC said reported PTIWe mean that there is no tangible material and the whole case of ED is based on statement of certain architects and developers the bench said reported PTIPawar was arrested by the ED on August 13 He had moved the HC challenging his arrest in the case and subsequent orders passed by a special court remanding him to judicial custodyThe high court on Wednesday quashed the special courts orders tooThe petition succeeds to the extent that the arrest of petitioner on August 13 is illegal The orders passed by the special judge remanding him are quashed The petitioner shall be released HC said reported PTIAfter the order was pronounced Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh appearing for the ED sought a stay which was declined by the high court reported PTIPawar is accused of conniving with builders and developers by which 41 illegal buildings were constructed in Vasai and Virar reported PTIA corruption case was lodged against Pawar and others pursuant to which the ED began its money laundering probeIn May the Directorate of Enforcement ED Mumbai Zonal Office had conducted search operations at 13 different locations across Mumbai and Hyderabad under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA 2002 The Search operation led to seizure of Rs 904 Crore approx cash and Rs 2325 Crore worth of diamondstudded jewellery and bullion and a large number of incriminating documentsED initiated an investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by the Mira Bhayandar Police Commissionerate against builders local henchmen and others The case pertains to ldquoillegal construction of residential cum commercial buildings on government and private landrdquo under the jurisdiction of ldquoVVCMCrdquo since 2009Over a while 41 illegal buildings were constructed on the land reserved for ldquoSewage Treatment Plantrdquo and ldquoDumping Groundrdquo as per the approved development plan of Vasai Virar City The accused builders and developers have deceived and the general public at large by constructing illegal buildings on such land and subsequently selling it to them general public by fabricating approval documents Even with prior knowledge that these buildings were unauthorised and would eventually be demolished the developers misled the people by selling rooms in these buildings thereby committing serious fraudWith inouts from PTI