The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has detained Samir Bhujbal, nephew of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Public Works Department (PWD) minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday evening, in connection with the Rs 800-crore money-laundering fraud, allegedly committed by Bhujbal's family and associates.

According to ED officials, he was arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He will be presented at the sessions court on Tuesday after medical check-ups.

Samir was questioned at the ED office in Mumbai for about 7-8 hours on Monday.

"After a flurry of ED search operations at all the business premises of Bhujbals, Samir rushed to the ED office to make himself available for questioning," said an ED source.

ED sleuths searched around eight premises of Chhagan Bhujbal, his family members and companies related to them on Monday.

"Questions related to the Rs 30-crore money trail of two companies in Singapore – Armstrong Global and Armstrong Infrastructure – set up by Samir and Pankaj Bhujbal," sources said.

Both Singapore companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Mumbai-based Armstrong Energy Pvt Ltd, in which both are directors.

"We have evidences of the trail of illicit money transacted in Indonesia to invest in coal projects. We need to cross-examine him (Samir), " said a source.

Armstrong Energy is said to have been formed to push their business interests in the renewable energy sector.

Sources said Samir was also questioned on his role in Hex World project, promoted by a realty firm owned by the duo. The property is a residential project at Navi Mumbai worth Rs 44 crore.

Investigators have already issued summons to the duo for alleged embezzlement of funds relating to the Maharastra Sadan project, criminal breach of trust relating to a residential project in Navi Mumbai and on money-laundering traced to Indonesia-based coal projects.

dna had reported on January 30 that the duo has been summoned over these allegations and are likely to be questioned in the first week of February. They were given a week's time. Samir appeared before the ED ahead of the summon date.

The special investigation team, comprising the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the ED, is probing nine allegations against the Bhujbals. Of these, three cases have been closed, while two were referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The ED investigation is based on two FIRs filed by the ACB against the Bhujbals for alleged irregularities in the allotment of a prime plot at Kalina in Mumbai worth Rs 88 crore.

The second case involves large-scale irregularities of Rs 749 crore in the construction of the new Maharashtra Sadan, the government guest house in Delhi. Bhujbal's PWD ministry had allegedly awarded sub-contracts to firms in blatant violation of rules.