News Analysis India

Tag: Anil Parab

  • ED grills Maharashtra minister Anil Parab for over six hours on day 3

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Thursday for the third day in a row in connection with a money laundering case, and left after more than six hours.

    Parab, a senior Shiv Sena leader, reached the ED’s office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai around 2:45 pm, and left around 9 pm, an official said. The ED has been questioning him in a money laundering probe linked to alleged violation of coastal regulation zone provisions in the construction of Sai resort in Dapoli in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district.

    The agency had questioned Parab for more than six hours on Wednesday, and for over 10 hours on Tuesday. Parab (57) is a three-time member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and holds the transport and parliamentary affairs portfolios.

    The ED had raided his premises and those allegedly linked to him in May, after registering a fresh case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against him and others. However, the Shiv Sena leader denied any wrongdoing.

  • Money laundering case: ED grills Maharashtra minister Anil Parab for over six hours on day 2

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab for more than six hours on Wednesday, the second consecutive day of his questioning, in connection with a money laundering case against him.

    Parab reached the ED office located in south Mumbai around 3:45 pm for his questioning in the money laundering probe linked to the alleged violation of coastal regulation zone provisions in the construction of Sai resort in Dapoli beach area of Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, an official said.

    After the questioning, the minister left the central agency office around 10:30 pm, he said, adding that he has been asked to appear on Thursday as well. Parab was questioned by the central agency for more than 10 hours on Tuesday.

    He was summoned on Wednesday morning, but citing the political developments in the state, he had sought more time to appear before it. Parab (57) is a three-time member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and holds transport and parliamentary affairs portfolios.

    The ED had raided his premises and those allegedly linked to him in May, after registering a fresh case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against him and others. However, the Shiv Sena leader denied any wrongdoing.

  • Maharashtra minister Anil Parab grilled by Enforcement Directorate​ in money laundering case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab was questioned for more than 11 hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering probe being conducted by the agency, an official said.

    The ED had summoned Parab, a Shiv Sena leader, for questioning in the money laundering probe linked to alleged violation of coastal regulation zone provisions in the construction of a resort in Dapoli beach area of Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district.

    Parab reached the ED’s office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai at 11:20 am and came out at around 10:45 pm, the official said. He was earlier summoned on June 15, but skipped the deposition then citing official work.

    Officials earlier said that the federal agency wanted to record Parab’s statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had raided his premises and those allegedly linked to him in May, after registering a fresh case under the PMLA against him and others.

    The Shiv Sena leader denied any wrongdoing. “I have answered all the questions asked by ED officials today…had answered them earlier, too, and will answer them in the future, too. I am repeatedly saying I do not own Dapoli’s Sai Resort,” said Parab while speaking with media persons before leaving the ED office.

    The minister claimed the ED case relates of discharge of water from the resort, currently shut, into the sea. Asked whether the central agency has called him again for questioning on Wednesday, Parab said he will come to know about it only in the morning.

    On rebellion by party colleague Eknath Shinde, Parab declined to comment, saying he was busy with ED questioning through out the day. Parab (57) is a three-time member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and holds transport and parliamentary affairs portfolios.

  • Central agencies should work transparently: Maharashtra dy CM Ajit Pawar over ED raids on colleague

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said central probe agencies should work in a transparent manner without any interference and not misuse their powers.

    He was replying to queries from reporters on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raids in Maharashtra on Thursday as part of a money laundering probe against state Transport Minister Anil Parab and others linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in coastal Dapoli area of Ratnagiri district and other charges, officials said.

    The federal probe agency has filed a fresh case against Parab and others under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    At least seven premises, including Parab’s official residence in Mumbai, linked premises in Dapoli and Pune were being searched by the agency with a security escort provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

    Talking to reporters here, Pawar said if the central agencies carry out their probe without interference, no one will oppose them. “Law has given these agencies some powers which they can use on getting complaints. We only want that those powers shouldn’t be misused,” the NCP leader said when asked about the ED raids against state Shiv Sena minister Parab.

    The NCP shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra. Pawar also lashed out at state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil for his comments, made during a protest on Wednesday, asking NCP MP Supriya Sule to “go home and cook” instead of being in politics.

    “This is not Maharashtra’s culture. Patil’s statement hasn’t been liked by his own party men. Political leaders must exercise restraint when speaking in public, and they should not say anything that will hurt sentiments,” he said.

    Pawar also said that six Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra falling vacant soon will not filled without a contest. “(Former MP) Sambhaji Chhatrapati held discussions with all political parties, but the NCP doesn’t have enough votes to get him elected. We can get only one seat given our numbers in the state Assembly,” he said.

    Six Rajya Sabha seats from the state are scheduled for polls on June 10, with the opposition BJP having the numbers to get two of its candidates elected. The ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in Maharashtra have enough votes to secure one win each, while together they can win the sixth seat as well, for which the Sena has thrown its hat in the ring.

    The tenure of six Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra — Piyush Goyal, Vinay Sahastrabuddhe and Vikas Mahatme (all three from the BJP), P Chidambaram (Congress), Praful Patel (NCP) and Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) – ends on July 4.

    The 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly constitutes the electoral college Rajya Sabha elections, and a candidate needs 42 votes to win a seat.

    Pawar also defended the Maharashtra government’s recent move to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel (after the Centre cut excise duty on the fuels), saying the state will lose revenue worth Rs 2,400 crore. “The opposition is demanding that there should have been more tax relief, but we have done all what we could,” he said.

  • Shiv Sena workers protest in Kolhapur over ED raids against Maharashtra minister Anil Parab

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Workers of the Shiv Sena in Kolhapur staged a protest against the Enforcement Directorate’s raids at premises of Maharashtra minister Anil Parab on Thursday, police said. The protest was organised around 11:30 am by former Sena MLA and executive president of the state planning commission Rajendra Kshirsagar, an official said.

    Sena workers gathered near the statue of Tara Rani in the city and raised slogans against the ED’s action on party leader Parab, and put up a banner criticising the probe agency, he said.

    The ED on Thursday raided multiple locations in Maharashtra as part of a money laundering probe against Parab and others linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in coastal Dapoli area of Ratnagiri district and other charges, it was stated.

    The probe agency has filed a fresh case against the minister and others under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). At least seven premises, including Parab’s official residence in Mumbai, linked premises in Dapoli and Pune are being searched by the agency.

  • Maharashtra Transport Minister holds talks with Sharad Pawar on MSRTC employees strike

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday morning and held talks regarding the ongoing strike by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees.

    The employees of MSRTC have been protesting for the last 15 days. Today is the 16th day of the protest.

    So far 2,053 MSRTC employees have been suspended, a state transport department official said.

    On November 8, the Maharashtra government issued a Government Resolution to form a three-member committee, headed by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, to look into the demands of the employees of MSRTC.

    Earlier Bombay High Court had instructed the state government to form a committee to look into the demands of MSRTC employees which include the merger of the corporation with the state government to avail the benefits, and salary hikes.

    The court had also said that after discussing with the stakeholders of MSRTC and the union, all the recommendations must be submitted in a report to the chief minister within 12 weeks.

  • Anil Deshmukh money laundering case: Maharashtra minister Anil Parab appears before ED

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering case registered against former state minister Anil Deshmukh and others, an official said.

    The ED had on Saturday issued summons for the second time to Parab (56), who also holds the parliamentary affairs portfolio in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, for questioning in the case.

    He was asked to appear before at the ED’s office in Ballard Estate area of south Mumbai on Tuesday. Accordingly, the minister reached the probe agency’s office around 11 am, the official said. There was heavy police deployment outside the ED office, he said.

    Before leaving for the probe agency’s office, Parab told reporters that will fully co-operate with the ED in its probe into the case. “I am appearing before ED officials today, though I am still unaware for what purpose they have called me. I swear by my daughters and late Shiv Sena supremo (Balasaheb Thackeray) that I have not done anything wrong, so I am going to the ED office,” the minister said.

    “I will co-operate in the inquiry and answer the questions of ED officials,” he added. The three-term Shiv Sena MLA was first summoned by the agency to depose on August 31, which he had declined citing official engagements and had sought more time.

    Parab is to be questioned in the money laundering case being investigated against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh after certain “disclosures” have been made by other accused and those involved in the case, officials earlier said.

    The summons pertain to the criminal investigation being carried out by the ED in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra police establishment that led to Deshmukh’s resignation in April.

    The ED case against Deshmukh, who was earlier the home minister in the MVA government, and others came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked him in the corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

    Deshmukh, who has skipped the ED summons at least five times till now and moved court against the agency, had said Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from the post of Mumbai police commissioner.

    The ED may question Parab about the statements it has twice recorded of former police officer Sachin Waze.

    Waze, arrested by the NIA in the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai, had earlier alleged in a letter he sought to submit before a court that in January 2021, Parab asked him to look into an inquiry against “fraudulent” contractors listed in the Mumbai civic body and “collect” at least Rs 2 crore from about 50 such contractors.

    Parab had then rejected Waze’s claims and said he was ready to face any probe into the allegations.

  • ED issues fresh summons to Maharashtra minister Anil Parab in Anil Deshmukh money laundering case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab for questioning next week in the money laundering case registered against former state minister Anil Deshmukh and others, officials said on Saturday.

    This is the second summons issued to Parab, 56, who also holds the parliamentary affairs portfolio in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    The three-term party legislator in the Maharashtra legislative council was first summoned by the agency to depose on August 31, which he had declined citing official engagements and had sought more time.

    The officials said the minister has now been asked by the ED to depose before the investigating officer of the case at the agency’s office in south Mumbai on September 28.

    They said Parab is to be questioned in the money laundering case being investigated against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh after certain “disclosures” have been made by other accused and those involved in the case.

    The summons pertain to the criminal investigation being carried out by the ED in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra police establishment that led to Deshmukh’s resignation in April.

    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 at least Rs 100 crore bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

    Deshmukh, who had skipped ED summons at least five times till now and has moved court against the agency, had said Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner.

    The ED may question Parab about the statements it has twice recorded of jailed police officer and another accused in this case, Sachin Waze.

    The suspended cop Waze, arrested by the NIA in a case where an explosives-laden SUV was recovered from near the Mumbai house of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, had earlier alleged in a letter he sought to submit before a court that in January 2021, Parab asked him to look into an inquiry against “fraudulent” contractors listed in the Mumbai civic body and “collect” at least Rs 2 crore from about 50 such contractors.

    Parab had then rejected Waze’s claims and had said he was ready to face any probe into the allegations.

  • 10 DCPs paid Rs 40 crore to Deshmukh, Parab to reverse transfer order: Sachin Waze to ED

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab and his then cabinet colleague Anil Deshmukh allegedly received Rs 40 crore from 10 DCPs in Mumbai to reverse the order of their transfer issued by the then city police commissioner Param Bir Singh, dismissed police officer Sachin Waze has claimed in his statement to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    This statement is part of charge sheet filed recently by the ED against Deshmukh’s former personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde in connection with a money laundering case.

    In July 2020, Param Bir Singh had issued an order of transfer of 10 DCPs in Mumbai.

    Waze, in his statement claimed that Deshmukh, who was then the home minister, and Parab were not happy with the transfer order issued by Singh.

    “Later I came to know that a sum of Rs 40 crore was collected from the police officers listed in the transfer order.

    Out of that Rs 20 crore each were given to Anil Deshmukh and Anil Parab,” Waze claimed.

    Besides the arrested duo – Palande and Shinde – the charge-sheet filed in the money laundering case also names Waze as an accused.

    However, neither Deshmukh, an NCP leader, nor his family members were named as accused in the charge sheet.

    Palande and Shinde are currently in judicial custody in the case.

    Waze, an assistant police inspector in Mumbai, was arrested in March this year in connection with the explosives-SUV found parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s south Mumbai residence and the murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.

    The charge-sheet says that Palande and Shinde had played a key role in the money laundering case.

    The central agency said its probe has revealed that Deshmukh used to call Waze about handing over money collected from bars and restaurants.

    For instance, between January and February 2021, Waze handed over 16 bags containing Rs 4.

    6 crore to Shinde, while Palande was instrumental in passing on the instructions of the NCP leader to Waze.

    The ED launched a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 following allegations of corruption made by Param Bir Singh.

    Singh was shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner in March this year, while Deshmukh resigned as a minister in April.

  • ED issues lookout notice against Anil Deshmukh, summons Anil Parab aide

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a lookout notice against NCP leader and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in connection with a money laundering case.

    Sources said that the lookout circular was issued to prevent Deshmukh from fleeing the country. He has skipped various summons issued by the ED in the case that forced him to resign from the post of Maharashtra Home Minister in April.

    The move comes as the Supreme Court had refused to offer Deshmukh interim relief from coercive action in the lawsuit last month.

    Deshmukh had moved the Bombay High Court on September 2 seeking to quash the agency’s summons. The plea, however, was not taken up for hearing immediately.

    The ED has till now issued five summons to Deshmukh, asking him to appear before it for questioning. However, Deshmukh skipped every summons, saying he would be seeking appropriate remedy available under law.

    ED registered its money laundering case against Deshmukh and others based on a corruption case filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

    Deshmukh is accused of allegedly misusing his post while serving as Home Minister. It is also alleged that the leader through dismissed police officer Sachin Waze collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai. The money was allegedly laundered to the Nagpur-based Shri Sai Shikshan Sansthan, an educational trust controlled by Deshmukh’s family.

    Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had levelled the charge.

    The CBI filed its FIR against Deshmukh on April 21 this year based on a Bombay High Court ruling on April 5.

    However, Deshmukh has repeatedly denied any misconduct.

    The ED had arrested Anil Deshmukh’s personal secretary and personal assistant following raids in Mumbai and Nagpur on them and the NCP leader. His son-in-law was previously questioned by the CBI regarding the leak of an inquiry report. 

    It also summoned Regional Transport Office (RTO) officer Bajrang Kharmate, a close-aide of Maharashtra Minister Anil Parab in connection with a money laundering case.

    According to a statement issued by ED, Kharmate has been asked to appear before the agency on Monday.

    Earlier on August 29, ED had summoned Maharashtra Minister Anil Parab in connection with a money laundering case, following which Parab on August 31 sought 14 days time to appear before the agency.

    The probe against Parab began days after a viral video clip surfaced in which the Minister can be seen ordering police officers to arrest Union Minister Narayan Rane without delay.

    Following the issuance of ED’s summon against Parab, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the judicial action was anticipated as Parab is the Guardian Minister of Ratnagiri where Rane was arrested.

    Rane was arrested in Ratnagiri district, earlier on Tuesday, after FIRs were filed against him for making alleged controversial remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    However, the Union Minister was later granted bail by the Magistrate Court in Mahad in Raigad district. The court has ordered Rane to present at the Ratnagiri police station for inquiry on August 31 and September 13.