News Analysis India

Tag: Anil Deshmukh

  • Twist in the tale: Param Bir Singh says no further evidence against Anil Deshmukh apart from letter

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh has submitted an affidavit to the probe panel appointed by the Maharashtra government, saying that he has no further evidence to substantiate his ‘Rs 100 crore collection’ allegations against former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

    Singh said that he had no other evidence against Deshmukh apart from his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The submission was made to the one-member Justice K U Chandiwal Commission at its previous hearing on October 13.

    The revelations came two days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) — based on a CBI FIR arising out of Singh’s allegations — questioned and later arrested Deshmukh, who is now in the agency’s custody till November 6.

    A copy of the affidavit is in possession of The New Indian Express. The affidavit says that Singh does not want to be cross-examined in this case now.

    ALSO READ: ED arrests ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in extortion, money laundering case

    “Whatever Singh wanted to disclose has been disclosed to the Supreme Court and Maharashtra Chief Minister and he has nothing further to add. He does not intend to make any submission before the commission now,” reads the affidavit submitted by his advocate.

    Deshmukh’s lawyer Aniket Nikam said, “It’s now clear that Singh had no proof against the ex-minister and simply hurled the allegations for the sake of it.”

    Deshmukh consistently rubbished all allegations and asked where was the complainant who hurled charges against him and then disappeared.

    NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said that they have been saying from the first day when the letter was written by  Singh that it was politically motivated. “Now, our suspicion has been established that the BJP used Singh to level allegations against former home minister Anil Deshmukh to malign his image and that of the party and government in Maharashtra. This affidavit of Singh is an indirect admission by him that Deshmukh was a victim of false charges,” the NCP leader said.

    Nawab Malik, NCP chief spokesperson, said, “Param Bir Singh had merely written a letter. He had not given any proof or evidence. It’s an indirect admission that Deshmukh is innocent. And BJP is using this case for a witch hunt and targeting their political opponents. ED should release him immediately and stop political vendetta.”

    Earlier, Singh had ignored several summonses by the probe commission, coughed out fines three times and skipped a bailable warrant.

    Singh also faces two non-bailable arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai and Pune court as he is named in some extortion cases lodged against him by the police.

  • Ex-Maharashtra Minister Anil Deshmukh remanded to ED custody till November 6 in money laundering case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A Mumbai court on Tuesday remanded former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till November 6.

    Deshmukh, arrested by ED late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment, was produced for remand before additional sessions judge P B Jadhav, who presided over the special holiday court.

    Before producing him in court, the prosecuting agency took the NCP leader to the state-run J J Hospital here for a regular medical checkup.

    The ED had initiated a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed its FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

    The ED’s case is that Deshmukh, while serving as the state’s home minister, misused his official position and through dismissed cop Sachin Waze collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

    The ED has also arrested two other persons in the case – Sanjeev Palande (additional collector rank official who was working as Deshmukh’s private secretary) and Kundan Shinde (Deshmukh’s personal assistant).

  • Param Bir Singh left India with Centre’s help, claims Sena MP Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday claimed that IPS officer Param Bir Singh has not absconded but made to move out of the country, which he could not have done without the Centre’s help.

    Speaking to reporters here, Raut also said former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by a central agency based on Singh’s allegations, and this was “very unfortunate and unethical”.

    Deshmukh’s party NCP shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra.

    Param Bir Singh is facing investigation in a number of matters, including some extortion cases registered by the Maharashtra Police.

    Recently, two non-bailable warrants were issued against him in different extortion cases in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane.

    Singh was shunted out from the post of Mumbai police commissioner in March this year in the aftermath of the recovery of an SUV with explosives near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in south Mumbai and the arrest of dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in the case.

    Singh later accused the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption.

    The Maharashtra government recently told the Bombay High Court that it did not know of Singh’s whereabouts.

    On Tuesday, Raut said, “When a person serving on a post equivalent to the director general of police moves out of the country, he cannot do so without the support of the Union government. He has not absconded, but made to move out of the country. ”

    :Based on his (Param Bir Singh’s) allegations, the central agencies have arrested former home minister Anil Deshmukh. It is very unfortunate as his arrest is unethical,” he said.

    Raut said on the basis of allegations, an investigation can be carried out, but Deshmukh was arrested on the first day of inquiry by officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    “I think it is a pre-planned strategy to harass, defame and indulge in mud-slinging of key leaders of the MVA government (in Maharashtra),” the Rajya Sabha member said.

    Deshmukh was arrested by the ED late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in the money laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment.

    Notably, former Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar on Tuesday claimed that the MVA government may have helped Param Bir Singh to flee and could be “preparing ground for him to seek political asylum” in a western country.

  • Money laundering case: Ex-Maharashtra Minister Anil Deshmukh produced in court by ED for remand

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was on Tuesday produced before a special court here by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following his arrest in a money laundering case.

    Deshmukh was produced for remand before additional sessions judge P B Jadhav, who is presiding over the special holiday court, a little after noon.

    The ED is likely to seek his custody for further questioning.

    Deshmukh was arrested by the ED late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in the money laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment.

    Before producing him in court, the prosecuting agency had taken the NCP leader to the state-run J J Hospital here for a regular medical checkup.

    The ED had initiated a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed its FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

    The ED’s case is that Deshmukh, while serving as the state’s home minister, misused his official position and through dismissed cop Sachin Waze collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

    The money was allegedly laundered to Nagpur-based Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha, an education trust controlled by Deshmukh’s family.

    Deshmukh had refuted these allegations earlier and said the agency’s whole case was based on malicious statements made by a tainted cop (Waze).

    The ED has so far arrested two persons in the case – Sanjeev Palande (additional collector rank official who was working as Deshmukh’s private secretary) and Kundan Shinde (Deshmukh’s personal assistant).

    The agency last month submitted its prosecution complaint (equivalent to a charge sheet) against the duo before a special court.

  • Deshmukh’s arrest politically motivated, aimed at maligning MVA leaders: Nawab Malik

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh’s arrest is politically motivated and aimed at maligning the image of the state’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government leaders, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said on Tuesday.

    Hitting out at the Centre, Malik, a minister in the Maharashtra government, said scaring leaders by abusing power should be stopped.

    The entire action (of arresting Deshmukh) is politically motivated. It is aimed at scaring the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance), Malik told reporters.

    Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment.

    Law will take its course. The truth will someday come out if you implicate people, Malik said. He said the Centre must come clean on former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who had accused of Deshmukh of corruption.

    Singh is missing and two non-bailable warrants have been issued against him in two different cases. In the past, the MVA leaders have accused the Centre’s hand behind Singh’s disappearance. Deshmukh’s arrest is seen as a setback to the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in the state. Last month, NCP President Sharad Pawar had accused the Centre of using its agencies to target the MVA regime.

    Some leaders of Maharashtra’s ruling alliance are being probed by various Central agencies.

    Meanwhile, Deshmukh, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case, was on Tuesday taken to the state-run JJ Hospital in south Mumbai for a medical check-up, an official said.

    Deshmukh was arrested by ED late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment.

    After spending the night in the ED office, Deshmukh was brought out at 10.15 am and taken to the hospital, after which he will be produced in a special court here for remand, the official said.

  • ED arrests ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in extortion, money laundering case

    By ANI

    MUMBAI:: Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the early hours of Tuesday in connection with the alleged Rs 100-crore extortion and money laundering case.

    According to an ED official, the arrest has been made after 13 hours of Deshmukh’s questioning at the central agency office on Monday.

    The former minister arrived at the ED office to join the investigation in extortion and money laundering allegations against him on Monday.

    “Today, I have presented myself before the Enforcement Directorate. Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh made false allegations against me. Where is he today? As per media reports, he has left the country,” Deshmukh had said in a self-made video.

    Earlier on Friday, Bombay High Court rejected former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s petition challenging the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons for him to appear before the agency.

    Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had accused Anil Deshmukh of asking dismissed assistant inspector Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore from hotels and bars in Mumbai every month.

    The federal probe agency will record the statement of Deshmukh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the criminal investigation being carried out by it in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra Police establishment.

    It registered a case against Deshmukh and others based on a corruption case filed against him by the CBI.

  • False narrative being created by ‘vested interests’ that I am avoiding to appear before ED: Anil Deshmukh

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday claimed a false narrative was being created by “vested interests” that he was avoiding to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in connection with its probe into a money laundering case.

    The NCP leader said he is keen to present himself before “unbiased authorities”.

    In a statement released after he entered the ED’s office here on Monday, Deshmukh further claimed that a “witch-hunt” has been launched at the instance of certain “inimical interests”, by people who have absolutely no credibility, honur or pride.

    “A false narrative, an erroneous impression, is being created by these vested interests that I am evading or avoiding to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. Undoubtedly, such propaganda is absolutely baseless,” Deshmukh said.

    The NCP leader further said he has only sought a transparent, fair and an objective probe without any fear or favour.

    “I am keen to appear before such unbiased authorities and expose the falsity of the accusations that have been levelled against me with a fervent hope that the officers of the Enforcement Directorate shall rise up to the occasion and act in a fair manner, and also lay go rest the misgivings about my cooperation with the investigations,” the letter said.

    Officials of the probe agency said they will record the statement of the 71-year-old NCP leader under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in connection with the criminal investigation being carried out by it in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra Police establishment, that led to Deshmukh’s resignation from the post of state home minister in April this year.

    Deshmukh had skipped at least four summons issued by the ED in the case, but after the Bombay High Court last week refused to quash these summons, he appeared before the agency on Monday.

    The ED’s case against Deshmukh and others came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a corruption case against him related to allegations of bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

    Slamming Singh without taking his name, Deshmukh said “unscrupulous persons” are themselves knee-deep involved in several rackets of corruption.

    “The principal person who held the high office of Commissioner of Police is now a wanted absconding criminal,” Deshmukh said.

    A magistrate’s court on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Singh in an alleged extortion case registered in suburban Goregaon.

    Prior to it, a court in neighbouring Thane district last week issued an NBW against Singh in connection with another extortion case registered against him.

    On Sunday, the CBI also took into custody one Santosh Jagtap in connection with a case of alleged corruption against Deshmukh, making it the first arrest in the high-profile case, officials earlier said.

    The agency arrested Jagtap, an alleged middleman, from Thane, they said, adding that the accused was evading the probe even after the issuance of non-bailable warrants against him last month.

  • Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh appears before ED in Mumbai

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here for questioning in a money laundering case, officials said.

    They said the federal probe agency will record the statement of the 71-year-old NCP leader under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the criminal investigation being carried out by it in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra Police establishment that led to Deshmukh’s resignation in April.

    Deshmukh had skipped at least four summons issued by the ED in the case but after the Bombay High Court last week refused to quash these summons, he appeared before the agency.

    The ED case against Deshmukh, who was earlier the home minister in the MVA government, and others came after the CBI booked him in the corruption case related to allegations of bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

  • CBI makes first arrest in bribery case involving Anil Deshmukh 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Sunday, October 31, 2021, made its first arrest in the bribery case involving former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh as it took an alleged middleman into custody, officials said.

    The agency arrested Santosh Jagtap from Thane Sunday morning, they said, adding he has been evading the probe even after the issuance of non-bailable warrants against him last month.

    The CBI had raided the premises of Jagtap, an alleged middleman, in August and also recovered Rs 9 lakh, they said.

  • HC refuses to quash ED summons issued to Anil Deshmukh in alleged money laundering case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday rejected the plea by filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, seeking quashing of summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), asking him to appear before it in connection with a case of alleged money laundering and corruption.

    The high court said that Deshmukh had failed to make a case for quashing of such summons.

    It further said that the former minister’s plea did not merit an order to the ED and the CBI, restraining them from taking any coercive action against him.

    The court, however, said that Deshmukh, like any other common litigant had a right to approach the appropriate court seeking relief if he apprehended his arrest in the case.

    The court also directed the ED to permit Deshmukh’s lawyer to remain present within “visible distance but not audible distance” at the central agency’s office during Deshmukh’s questioning.

    The ED had begun a probe against Deshmukh and others, and summoned him for questioning after the CBI filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

    The CBI FIR was registered following a preliminary inquiry into the allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.