Bombay high court grants Eknath Khadse’s wife Mandakini Khadse interim relief from arrest

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to Mandakini Khadse, wife of former state revenue minister Eknath Khadse, after she challenged the order of a Special PMLA court, which on Tuesday had issued a non-bailable warrant against her. The trial court had rejected her anticipatory bail as being not maintainable. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has investigated Eknath Khadse and his kin for alleged fraudulent purchase of a government plot in MIDC area of Pune five years ago. The agency is currently probing an alleged money laundering case. Justice Nitin Sambre of the HC on hearing Mandakini Khadse’s senior counsel Raja Thakare and ED’s counsel Sandesh Patil, posted the matter for hearing on December 7. The court directed that if Mandakini is arrested before that, she should be released on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. The HC also directed her to attend the ED office every Tuesday and Friday, starting on October 17 between 10 am and 2 pm, till the next hearing. tnn