ED summons former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in money laundering case

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Anil Deshmukh

Maharashtra ED has issued fresh summons against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and others as part of the ongoing money-laundering probe. The probe agency has asked Deshmukh to appear before it on July 5.

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and others as part of its ongoing money-laundering probe. The probe agency has asked Deshmukh to appear before it on July 5. Officials said that a third notice had been issued to the NCP leader on Saturday to appear before the investigating officer. Deshmukh has been asked to record his statement at the central agency’s office in south Mumbai. Two summons have been issued to Deshmukh earlier, but he did not appear, citing the risk of coronavirus infection. He urged the ED to record his statement through video conference.

The ED has summoned Deshmukh in a money laundering case related to an alleged bribery and extortion racket of Rs 100 crore. Deshmukh had resigned from the post of Home Minister of Maharashtra in April this year due to these allegations. The ED had last month raided the premises of Deshmukh, his associates and others in Mumbai and Nagpur. After this, the Directorate issued the first summons. Later, the agency arrested two of his associates – private secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde. He is in ED custody till July 6.

Here, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has called the ongoing CBI investigation against him illegal. CBI is probing the allegation against him of indulging in corruption by misuse of office. Seeking to quash the CBI FIR registered against Anil Deshmukh, his lawyer Amit Desai told the High Court that although the CBI investigation against Deshmukh was started on the High Court’s orders, itself, it was the law to be followed before initiating the investigation. Deshmukh was in public service at that time. The permission should have been taken from the state government before initiating the investigation against him. This permission was not taken. Therefore this investigation itself is illegal.

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