The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating a suspected money laundering case against former Maharashtra Interior Minister Anil Deshmukh, picked up his personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and his personal assistant Kundan Shinde for questioning on Friday.
Sources said ED officials found a trail of Rs 4 crore money extorted from around a dozen bar owners and collected over a number of months by Assistant Inspector Sachin Vaze, who is now suspended.
According to the agency, this money was diverted to Deshmukh through some mailbox companies outside of Maharashtra. The company belonged to a close relative of Deshmukh.
Sources said this evidence was sufficient to arrest Anil Deshmukh, but ED officials would take legal action before arresting the former Maharashtra Home Secretary.
Sanjeev Palande was brought from Churchgate, where ED officials were conducting searches in connection with the case. He is said to be a key witness in the case and was privy to information about the alleged extortion and diversion of funds.
The ED officials arrived at Anil Deshmukh’s Nagpur residence, two in Mumbai and two other locations to conduct searches.
Anil Deshmukh and one of his sons were present when the ED officials reached his residence in Worli. This came the day after ED officials took testimony from a deputy commissioner of a police officer on the case.
DCP Raju Bhujbal, who is currently in charge of the Mumbai Police Enforcement Department, reports to the Social Service. It is the social service that carries out controls and raids in pubs, shisha salons, dance bars, bars and restaurants.
In addition to Bhujbal, several other ED police officers have also been interviewed on the matter, according to sources.
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh had alleged in a letter to Maharashtra Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray in March that Anil Deshmukh had asked Deputy Inspector Sachin Vaze to extort around 100 billion rupees a month, and that most of it had to be extorted aimed at bars and restaurants.
Parambir Singh shot down the letter after being pushed out of the Mumbai Police Department. In his letter, Parambir Singh mentioned the names of Vaze and ACP Sanjay Patil, who allegedly had been asked to extort money by Anil Deshmukh.
As a result, several petitions were filed seeking an investigation into Anil Deshmukh. The Bombay Supreme Court later ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary investigation, following which an FIR (First Information Report) was registered against Anil Deshmukh.
The agency searched the home and offices of Anil Deshmukh and his close associates. Statements by various people, including Anil Deshmukh, were recorded by the CBI.
The ED then registered a case of money laundering and opened an investigation. She recorded statements made by various people related to the case. Bhujbal, a social service supervisor, was also interviewed by the ED and his testimony was recorded, sources said.
The ED is likely to summon several others, including police officers, before Anil Deshmukh is questioned in connection with the alleged blackmail case.
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