The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday arrested former Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh after over 12 hours of questioning in an extortion and money-laundering case.
Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh arrested in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations against him: ED officials
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2021
(file photo) pic.twitter.com/uVLEBNk8kL
Deshmukh (71) who was in hiding, was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). As per the officials, the NCP leader was evasive during the interrogation.
The former minister had skipped at least five summons by the agency and was untraceable. Reportedly, a team of ED officials including its additional director flew in from Delhi to record the statement of Deshmukh, earlier today.
The NCP leader will be produced before a local court today.
Deshmukh’s lawyer to oppose remand
Inderpal Singh, the lawyer representing Anil Deshmukh, while speaking with the media informed, “We cooperated in the investigation related to a case involving Rs 4.5 crores…We will oppose his (Anil Deshmukh) remand when he is produced before the court, today.”
We cooperated in the investigation related to a case involving Rs 4.5 crores…We will oppose his remand when he is produced before the court, today: Inderpal Singh, lawyer of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/xgfLxWV0E3
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2021
“A witch-hunt campaign has been launched against me”
Deshmukh in a video message uploaded on Monday claimed that a witch-hunt has been launched against him and that he has been wrongly framed.
“I have received ED summons and the media has wrongly reported that I am not cooperating with the investigation. After every summon, I informed the ED that my petition is pending before the courts and that I will produce myself before the ED after their outcomes. My staff and my family have always cooperated with the ED during the searches. I have also recorded my statements with the CBI. Today I am appearing before the ED,” said the NCP leader in the video uploaded on his Twitter profile.
मा. उच्च न्यायालयाने माझ्या संविधानातील अधिकारात मला विशेष कोर्टात जाण्याचे स्वातंत्र दिले असतानाही मी आज ईडीच्या कार्यालयात जाऊन चौकशी साठी संपुर्ण सहकार्य करणार आहे. pic.twitter.com/c7OZ2MY1zS
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) November 1, 2021
“On account of a witch-hunt campaign launched at the instance of certain vested inimical interests, some blatantly false allegations have been levelled by those persons who have absolutely no credibility, honour or pride. These unscrupulous persons are themselves knee-deep involved in several rackets of extortion and even murder. The principal person who held the high office of the commissioner of police is now a wanted absconding criminal,” alleged Deshmukh.
“Next is Anil Parab”
Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya in a Tweet claimed, “At last Home Minister #AnilDeshmukh is arrested by ED. More than ₹100 Crores Non-Transparent Transactions. Cash Trail. Next will be #AnilParab.”
At last Home Minister #AnilDeshmukh is arrested by ED. More than ₹100 Crores Non Transparent Transactions. Cash Trail
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) November 1, 2021
Next will be #AnilParab
अखेर ठाकरे सरकारचे गृहमंत्री #अनिल देशमुख यांना ईडीने अटक केली. ₹100 कोटींहून अधिक गैर-पारदर्शक व्यवहार.
अनिल देशमुख नंतर अनिल परब pic.twitter.com/SN2Tek9Q7n
While speaking with Republic TV, Somaiya said that the first one to be arrested was Jitendra Awhad, now is Anil Deshmukh and next in line will be Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab.
“The recovery of Rs 100 crore per month will have to be calculated. And further, it has to be revealed about how much of share went to Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray,” he alleged further.
The Enforcement Directorate had issued a fresh summon to Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra transport minister Anil Parab in September for questioning in the money laundering case registered against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and others.
Maha CM to meet Sharad Pawar
As per reports, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be meeting NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday to discuss Deshmukh’s arrest. Apart from Pawar, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is also scheduled to meet Thackeray.
A special PMLA court in Mumbai in the month of September had said that money trails prima facie indicated that former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh received Rs. 4.7 crores from Sachin Waze and his aide Kundan Shinde.
The court made the comment while taking cognizance of a charge sheet filed against Waze and others in a case of money laundering.
