New Delhi, June 25
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at the premises of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in Nagpur and his associates in Mumbai as part of a money-laundering probe against the politician on Rs 100 crore bribery charges, officials said.
They said the raids are being carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the locations include Deshmukh’s residence at GPO Chowk in Nagpur and that of his personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde in Mumbai.
Deshmukh (71), sources told PTI, is in Mumbai and the agency is expected to question him there.
Palande was brought by the sleuths to the ED office in Ballard Estate area of Maharashtra’s capital city for questioning around noon, they said.
The central probe agency had registered a criminal case under the anti-money laundering law against Deshmukh and others last month after studying a CBI FIR.
The ED case came about after the CBI first carried out a preliminary inquiry followed by filing a regular case on the orders of the Bombay High Court that asked it to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Officials said the search teams are looking for additional evidence that can be important for their probe.
The teams are trying to gather evidence and record statements to substantiate the claims made by about 10 bar owners to the ED that they paid about Rs 4 crore “bribe” in cash that was allegedly handed over to the former home minister.
Official sources said these claims have been recorded by the agency under the PMLA and it is trying to corroborate it with additional evidence.
Deshmukh, who had to resign from his post in April following the allegations, has denied any wrongdoing.
The agency’s probe is focused on the allegation that illicit funds were generated in the transfer, posting of police personnel in Maharashtra and if illegal extortion was done by the cops as claimed by Singh in his complaint.
The ED has powers to attach assets of the accused during the investigation stage and later file charge sheets against them before a PMLA court for trial.
Singh was shunted out from the post after the role of policeman Sachin Vaze surfaced during investigation of the explosive-laden SUV that was found parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai.
In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was removed from the Police Commissioner’s post, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked Vaze to extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai.
Deshmukh, a leader of the NCP, was the home minister of the state in the MVA government headed by Thackeray.
The CBI booked Deshmukh and others under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to criminal conspiracy and section of Prevention of Corruption Act for “attempt to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty”.
“The preliminary enquiry prima facie revealed that a cognisable offence is made out in the matter, wherein the then home minister of Maharashtra, Shri Anil Deshmukh and unknown others have attempted to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of their public duty,” the CBI FIR had alleged.
The CBI enquiry found Vaze, assistant inspector of Mumbai Police, had been reinstated into the police force after being out of service for more than 15 years.
Vaze was entrusted with some of the most sensational and important cases of Mumbai city and Deshmukh was in knowledge of the said fact, the CBI FIR alleged.
It alleged that Deshmukh “and others” exercised undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials and thereby exercising undue influence over the performance of government duties by the officials, it claimed.
After registering the FIR on April 21, the CBI had also carried out searches in Mumbai and Nagpur at premises linked to the former minister who resigned after the high court had ordered a CBI probe against him in connection with this case.
‘Targeting opponents’
The NCP on Friday slammed the BJP, saying that it has the “habit” of using the investigative agencies and “targeting” the political rivals.
Talking to reporters at Osmanabad, NCP’s Maharashtra unit chief Jayant Patil said: “The BJP has the habit of using the investigative agencies and its leaders are now passing resolutions in their state body meetings regarding inquiries. They have no work left now”.
“The BJP is now very much in the habit of using investigative agencies, like CBI and others. So much so that the Maharashtra body of their party is passing resolutions to seek inquiry,” he said after holding a meeting to review the irrigation projects in Osmanabad district.
Patil asked why BJP leaders don’t speak about the issues like Covid-19 or the development of the state.
“The BJP’s state unit is passing resolutions to reach out to the CBI for inquiry into any allegation. They have this habit of using the investigative agencies and people of Maharashtra are watching,” he added.
NCP MP Supriya Sule condemned the ED action against Anil Deshmukh and said such “misuse” of central investigative agencies was prevalent only during the Emergency.
“Political vendetta was unheard of in Maharashtra until now. BJP is indulging in targeting of political rivals, rather than holding deliberations regarding ideology, prevailing political issues and the problems being faced by the people, in its state executive meeting,” she said in response to a question on the BJP’s resolution against Ajit Pawar and Anil Parab.
“No matter what, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will not only continue for five years, but for 25 years by focusing on politics of development,” Sule said.
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