'Court has given me justice,' says Anil Deshmukh as he walks out of Arthur Road jail after 13 months
Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh walked out of jail on Wednesday amidst the cheering of the party workers who had assembled outside the Arthur Road jail to welcome him.
FollowAnil Deshmukh, a former home minister for Maharashtra, was greeted by party members waiting outside the Arthur Road jail as he walked out of jail on Wednesday. The former minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in November 2021 in connection with an alleged money laundering investigation. He also expressed appreciation for his supporters. Hundreds of NCP employees, including Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, and others, welcomed him.
"The court has given me justice,” said Deshmukh adding that the entire NCP leadership and workers stood by him. Deshmukh is a veteran politician who is close to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and the party's trouble-shooter Praful Patel.
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Deshmukh, 73, has been held in judicial custody at the Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail despite having refuted the accusations made against him. Justice M S Karnik had granted bail to the Deshmukh on December 12. However, he had stayed the order for 10 days as the CBI sought time to challenge it in the Supreme Court.
Later, the CBI filed a petition with the Supreme Court, but the appeal wouldn't be considered until January 2023 since the court was on recess.
On the CBI's appeal, the high court last week prolonged the stay till December 27. The central agency requested another extension on Tuesday, but the Bombay High Court rejected it.
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Know all about the case
Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh said in March 2021 that then-home minister Deshmukh had set a goal for police officials to collect Rs 100 crore from Mumbai's eateries and bars each month. Similar accusations were made by former assistant police inspector Waze, who was detained in connection with the discovery of an explosives-filled truck last year close to the Mumbai home of businessman Mukesh Ambani.
The CBI was ordered to conduct a preliminary investigation by the high court in April 2021. On the basis of this investigation, the CBI filed a FIR for suspected corruption and abuse of official authority against Deshmukh and others.
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