Bhujbal shielded Dawood's mall
	Mumbai: Maharstra's PWD minister and Senior NCP Leader Chhagan Bhujbal is once again in news for all the wrong reasons. ACP Shankar Kamble (Retd), the investigating officer of Mumbai's infamous Sara-Sahara case, has accused Bhujbal, who was then the home minister, of instructing him to go slow on BMC officer Rajendra Vale. Kamble said that he was instructed to go easy despite the fact that there was evidence to show Vale had helped the D Company in constructing the illegal shopping complex. Kamble told the court: "At the time of investigation, I found that Mr Vale was also at fault. I made necessary efforts to arrest him." When he was asked in court why Vale was not made an accused, Kamble said: "I had put up the relevant documents before the Commissioner of Police seeking permission for the initial arrest of Mr Vale and after reviewing the marterial, the Commissioner too had recommended that Vale be arrested. However, I was instructed from the mantralaya (ministry) to go slow against him." Kamble further went on to say: "I agree that to give such instructions by the Home Department to any police officer is a very serious matter. It is true that the person who gave me such instructions have committed an offence. He was the home minister himself. I did not feel to register offence against the then home minister." Kamble's counsel added, "During the cross questioning Kamble had clearly mentioned that he was under pressure from the Home Ministry and that is a very serious allegation." Predictably, Bhujbal denies these allegations. "I have never ever instructed anybody to go slow on any investigation and I am ready to face any inquiry on the matter," he said. With the Assembly session on in the state, this issue is perhaps the much awaited fodder for the Opposition Sena-BJP to target not only Bhujbal, but also to take on the ruling Congress-NCP as well.