Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the early hours of today in connection with the alleged ₹100-crore extortion and money laundering case.
They said Deshmukh, 71, was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). They claimed the senior NCP leader was evasive during questioning and the agency will seek his custody after they produce him before a local court here on Tuesday.
“We cooperated in the investigation related to a case involving ₹4.5 crores…We will oppose his (Anil Deshmukh) remand when he is produced before the court, today,” Inderpal Singh, lawyer of Deshmukh told reporters.
The money laundering case against Deshmukh and others was made out after the CBI booked him in a corruption case related to allegations of at least ₹100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
The questioning and recording of statements sessions went for long as officials said Deshmukh was a “key person” in this case and needs to be grilled on a number of subjects including the disclosures made by suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze during ED questioning.
“It was reported in the media that I was not cooperating with the ED…I went to the CBI twice after I was summoned…my petition is still pending in the Supreme Court but it will take time and hence I myself have gone to the ED,” he said.
“I and my family cooperated with the ED when they raided us (in June),” he said.
Deshmukh questioned the whereabouts of Param Bir Singh. “He made the bribery allegations against me but where is he now.”
