Former Maharashtra Interior Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement after being interrogated for over 12 hours on a money laundering case. He will be brought before the court on Tuesday, where the ED will apply for his pre-trial detention.
Sources have told India Today that Anil Deshmukh, who appeared before investigators after skipping several subpoenas, was arrested for being “non-cooperative” during questioning.
Prior to his arrest, the Financial Intelligence Agency recorded the 71-year-old politician’s testimony, in which he was confronted with alleged evidence gathered by the agency, including statements from other defendants and witnesses to the case.
The ED is conducting an investigation into the alleged Rs 100 crore extortion money under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had accused Anil Deshmukh of asking the dismissed Deputy Inspector Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore every month from hotels and bars in Mumbai, an indictment that the state’s interior minister had consistently denied .
The entire controversy came after a vehicle loaded with explosives was discovered outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai on February 25 this year. During the investigation, the NIA (National Investigation Agency) found Sachin Vaze’s involvement and later the Maharashtra government removed Parambir Singh from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner.
Following Parambir Singh’s allegations, the Bombay Supreme Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate the case. Anil Deshmukh has resigned from the post of Interior Minister of Maharashtra.
The ED allegedly found during its investigation that Sachin Vaze, as head of the Mumbai Police’s Crime Intelligence Unit, raised Rs 4.70 crore in orchestral bars in Mumbai between December 2020 and February 2021, which was later handed over to Anil Deshmukh by his assistant.
According to documents accessed by India Today, the ED also learned about the Nagpur-based charity Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha, which is run by Anil Deshmukh’s family. The Auditors claim the Trust recently received Rs 4.18 billion in donations from Delhi-based mailbox companies.
“Nagpur cash was transferred to Delhi via hawala and Hrishikesh Deshmukh took care of these arrangements. It is evident that due to his previous position as Interior Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh received 4.70 billion rupees from the owners and managers of the orchestral bars for the proper functioning of the bars. The bribe was apparently used by him through his son Hrishikesh Deshmukh to provide cash to Delhi-based paper companies. And after the stratification, the same was passed on in the form of a donation to the Shri Sai Shikshan Sansthan Trust, a trust owned by Anil Deshmukh and his family members, ”added the ED document.
“Witch Hunt Campaign”
Deshmukh had previously said in an open letter that false accusations were being made against him that he did not cooperate with central agencies.
“A wrong narrative and a wrong impression are created by self-interest, which I evade or avoid appearing in front of the enforcement department. There is no doubt that such propaganda is absolutely groundless,” said Anil Deshmukh.
Deshmukh had skipped at least four subpoenas from the ED in this case. However, the Bombay High Court refused to quash that subpoena last week.
Call it a “witch-hunt campaign” started at the instigation of certain people “Selfish interests,” said Deshmukh, “These unscrupulous people are knee-deep themselves involved in various blackmail, fraud and even murder operations.
ALSO READ: Anil Deshmukh appears before ED, witch hunt campaign pops out of self-interest
ALSO READ: Anil Deshmukh appears before ED, witch hunt campaign pops out of self-interest
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