Enforcement Directorate arrests ex-Maha Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in extortion, money laundering case

Mumbai (Maharashtra): 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.

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

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.