Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Saturday skipped the summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case. Mr. Deshmukh’s lawyer sought more time to appear before the agency.
Earlier in the day, the central investigation agency arrested Mr. Deshmukh’s personal assistant Kundan Shinde and his former personal secretary Sanjeev Palande. Both were called by the agency for questioning on Friday. They were arrested a little after midnight, around 1 a.m. Both will be presented in front of the court where the ED will seek their custody for further probe.
According to sources within the ED, a new summons will be issued and Mr. Deshmukh will be called for interrogation next week.
On Friday, the agency raided the houses of Mr. Deshmukh in Mumbai and Nagpur. It also conducted searches at the official residence of Mr. Deshmukh called “Dyaneshwari”. Even though he is no longer a Minister, he is yet to give up the official residence. The agency also raided the houses of of Mr. Shinde and Mr. Palande. After searches both were asked to accompany the officers to the agency’s office where they were questioned and subsequently arrested. These searches come weeks after the Central Investigation Bureau conducted similar raids on the houses and properties of Mr. Deshmukh and his aides.
Money trail
According to the ED sources, the agency is following a trail of ₹4 crore which is believed to be the money given to Mr. Deshmukh by 12 bar owners in Mumbai. The sources claim that the money was deposited in the accounts of shell companies and diverted to the accounts of establishments related to Mr. Deshmukh. The former minister has already said that he is co-operating with the agency and has nothing to hide.
It all started after former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh alleged in his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that Mr. Deshmukh directed former assistant police inspector Sachin Waze to collect ₹100 crore from the hotel and bar owners in Mumbai. The Bombay High Court directed the CBI to launch a probe after which Mr. Deshmukh resigned from his post. Following the preliminary inquiry, the CBI filed an FIR against Mr. Deshmukh and subsequently the ED too jumped into the matter and started its own independent probe.
Last week, the ED recorded a statement of one of the officers from Mumbai Police who presently works in the enforcement wing of the force. The officer was earlier posted with the social service branch of the Mumbai Police and was part of a team which raided several pubs, hookah parlours, dance bars, bars and restaurants. Sources said that several more police officers are likely to be questioned in this regard.
