Mumbai: Anil Deshmukh appears before ED in money laundering case after skipping four summons
So far, Deshmukh had skipped at least four summons issued by the ED in the case, while his personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and his personal assistant Kundan Shinde were remanded to custody to record their statement.
FollowIn a massive development, former Maharashtra home minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Anil Deshmukh on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its office in Mumbai for questioning in a money laundering case.
This comes after the NCP leader had skipped multiple summons and the Bombay High Court on October 29 had rejected his plea challenging the summons issued to him by the central agency.
According to the ED officials, the agency will record the statement of the 71-year-old leader under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the criminal investigation being carried out by it in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra Police establishment that led to Deshmukh's resignation in April.
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So far, Deshmukh had skipped at least four summons issued by the ED in the case, while his personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and his personal assistant Kundan Shinde were remanded to custody to record their statement.
“Today, I've presented myself before the Enforcement Directorate. Former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh made false allegations against me. Where is he today? As per media reports, he has left the country,” Deshmukh said in a self-made video as quoted by news agency ANI.
The trouble for Anil Deshmukh started on February 20 when former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh levelled 'extortion' charges against him with a letter addressing Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, alleged that the NCP leader had asked Sachin Vaze to extort Rs 100 crore per month from 1750 bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai.
The ED had started its investigation against Deshmukh, and others and the FIR had mentioned charges of corruption and misuse of official position. The CBI had filed the FIR after conducting a preliminary inquiry against the former minister over the allegations of corruption and misconduct, which were levelled against the former home minister by Param Bir Singh.
