Chhagan Bhujbal back in Arthur Road jail after receiving treatment in hospitals from Nov 2

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who has been booked for money laundering, was shifted back to the Arthur Road jail from JJ Hospital where he was undergoing treatment on Wednesday night.

Arthur Road jail Superintendent Harshad Aherao while confirming that Bhujbhal was brought back to Arthur Road jail, said, “Bhujbal was brought to the jail yesterday (Wednesday) night and if any medication is needed, we will provide him.”

Bhujbal, an accused in the multi-crore money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate, was discharged from the Bombay Hospital in first week of December and sent to the state-run facility after his admission at the hospital from November 2 prompted criticism that he was receiving “preferential treatment”. Bhujbal was at Bombay Hospital since November 2 but was discharged from the private hospital on December 8 and sent to JJ Hospital.

On October 27, Special Judge PR Bhavake had allowed Bhujbal to be taken to a private hospital after he was told that a thallium scan, one of the three tests recommended to him, was not available at the government hospital. On October 28, prison authorities took Bhujbal to JJ Hospital for other two tests. He was then transferred to Bombay Hospital.

Bhujbal had recently refused to undergo angiography until he consulted his family members. The jail authorities had filed a reply in court to the plea of former AAP activist Anjani Damania, who challenged Bhujbal’s long stay at a private hospital while in judicial custody. In their reply, the superintendent of Mumbai central jail said that doctors had recommended an angiography for Bhujbal but he had refused to undergo the test.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the Bombay high court had dismissed the bail plea and a habeas corpus petition filed by former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal challenging his detention over charges of money laundering.

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