MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate, probing former state home minister Anil Deshmukh’s suspicious financial transactions spanning over the past decade in the money laundering case, has found he had legitimised Rs 9.8 crore tainted money through 18 Kolkata-based shell companies when he was minister in the Congress-led government in Maharashtra.
The ED also said Deshmukh was taking the help of Delhi hawala operators, accused brothers Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain, from 2013 for layering tainted money.
A CA has told the ED he had introduced the Jains to Deshmukh’s son Hrishikesh “who wanted a person who would give donation to the family-owned Shri Sai Sikshan Sanasthan” in lieu of cash.
Jain brothers were sent cash and they returned it as donations: ED
A CA has told ED he had introduced the Jain hawala operator brothers to Anil Deshmukh’s son Hrishikesh “who wanted a person who would give donation to the family-owned Shri Sai Sikshan Sanasthan” in lieu of cash. The CA said he acted as guarantor and coordinator. Between 2013 and March 2021, a total of over Rs 4.03 crore was passed on to Deshmukh’s trust in the garb of donations, ED said.
The brothers helped Deshmukh layer the money illegally collected from bar owners by police officer Sachin Waze.ED said Deshmukh’s family, with the help of close associates, was managing various companies and laundering money. by creating a complex web of transactions.
In the chargesheet ED filed against the Deshmukh-controlled trust and his two former staffers, it said the Deshmukhcontrolled company Zodiac Dealcom Private Ltd had raised Rs.9.82 crore through bogus share capital from 18 Kolkata shell companies around a decade ago. Part of the funds were used to establish warehousing business in two companies, Rabia Logistics Pvt Ltd and Blackstone Logistics Pvt Ltd. The ED stated that later, fund generated from the warehousing business was routed through a number of companies owned by the family.
The CA said the brothers used to charge a commission of 1%. The witness said “upon receiving cash they used to provide donations through their companies Reliable Finance Corpn Pvt Ltd, Utsav Securities Pvt Ltd and VA Realcon Pvt Ltd”. The alleged “paper companies” are also named as accused. “Hrishikesh Deshmukh used to convey to me the amount of donation, which I further used to convey to Virendra and Surendra Jain. Further, I state that cash was transferred to Delhi through hawala operations which used to be looked after by Hrishikesh Deshmukh only,” the witness said. Asked for the source of the cash transferred, he replied Hrishikesh would be in a better position to explain it.
Also part of the chargesheet are statements of the Jain brothers. They said they had known the CA since 1997. Surendra Jain said in 2013, the CA told him the trust required credit entries. “(The CA) guided me that he will send certain money (sic) to my companies and I have to transfer the money to Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha after rotating them in my companies. Before sending any money… he used to inform me on the phone. Once the amount would be credited in the accounts of my companies from various creditors and debtors of my companies, the same was transferred to Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha and accordingly the information was passed on to him,” the witness said. He added that during the last 8-9 years, he transferred around Rs 4 crore to the trust after getting the money.
The chargesheet has Waze’s statement. He said Deshmukh used to call him to his office, residence and state guest house and give directions. He said he got direct instructions in the TRP case, Arnab Goswami’s arrest in an abetment to suicide case. “In the TRP case, Anil Deshmukh wanted to arrest Goswami,” Waze said.
