The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has requested the Bombay High Court to dismiss the petition filed by suspended IAS officer and former Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) chief Anil Kumar Pawar, who is seeking to invalidate his arrest. The agency has urged the court to reject the plea outright and impose a monetary penalty on the petitioner.
Pawar, who was arrested in August 2025 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), has contested his arrest and subsequent legal actions, claiming they are invalid. His plea aims to cancel all associated orders, including his arrest on August 13, the ED remand order on August 14, and the judicial custody order issued on August 20.
Advocates Rajiv Shakdher, Karan Khetani, and Ujjwalkumar Chavan, representing Pawar, argued that these orders were passed without due judicial consideration, alleging a lack of proper scrutiny by authorities in Pawar’s arrest and custody.
On the contrary, representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, along with advocates Manisha Jagtap and Aditya Thakkar, opposed the plea. They highlighted what the agency referred to as a pervasive network of corruption within the Vasai-Virar civic body.
The ED presented statements from builders and civic officers suggesting the existence of an organized group involving VVCMC officials, junior engineers, private architects, chartered accountants, and liaison agents engaged in corrupt practices. The agency claimed that this group accepted bribes to overlook illegal construction activities in the area.
According to the ED, analysis of seized digital devices revealed incriminating conversations discussing bribe amounts related to various projects. The case stemmed from a police complaint filed by former Bahujan Vikas Aghadi corporator Sitaram Gupta and his son Arun Gupta, accused of constructing illegal buildings without proper permissions.
The ED further alleged that Pawar and his associates laundered illicit funds through real estate transactions and luxury purchases. They claimed that Pawar used a significant portion of the proceeds for personal expenses, including the acquisition of properties and valuable items, facilitated by front companies set up in the names of his family members to conceal the illegal funds.
The agency defended Pawar’s arrest, stating it was conducted following legal procedures and accused him of obstructing the investigation by tampering with evidence. Pawar countered, arguing that the illegal constructions in question occurred before his tenure as VVCMC chief, thus absolving him of responsibility.
The decision on Pawar’s plea will be determined by the Bombay High Court based on the arguments presented by both parties.