India, Oct. 16 -- In a relief to former Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) commissioner Anil Pawar, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday held that his arrest on August 13, in connection with the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) money laundering probe into the construction of 41 now-demolished illegal buildings in Vasai East, was illegal.

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad said the ED did not have "tangible material" required for his arrest under section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, which pertains to reasons to believe that a person is guilty of an offence.

"We mean that there is no tangible material and the whole case of ED is based on statement of certain architects and deve...