Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by ED after over 12 hours of questioning at its office in Mumbai. He had appeared before the agency to record his statement around noon three days after the Bombay high court rejected his plea to cancel the agency’s summons in the money laundering case registered against him.
He had been evading questioning by the ED for months and had exhausted his legal remedies. In the last few months, the ED had raided several places to trace Deshmukh, but in vain. ED officials were also surprised with Deshmukh’s move as he appeared before them around noon along with his advocate. The investigating officer in the case started questioning Deshmukh just after his arrival at the ED office, and the agency’s additional director flew in from Delhi in the evening to supervise the process.
Earlier, the ED had arrested Deshmukh’s private secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde for helping Deshmukh and his son Hrishikesh with money laundering.
The ED said Deshmukh, through Shinde, had collected £470,000 from (now-dismissed) assistant police inspector Sachin Waze in cash.
After Deshmukh appeared before the ED, his team released a pre-recorded video message. In it, he said ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh made false allegations against him and had now fled the country. In the video, Deshmukh said, “I received ED summons, and the media wrongly reported that I was not cooperating with the investigation. Each time after ED summons, I replied to them stating my petition was pending before the High Court and Supreme Court, after it’s outcome I would present myself before the ED. Me, my family and our staff cooperated with ED during the investigation. Earlier, on CBI summons, I went and gave my statement.” Deshmukh also released an unsigned statement that ED should act in a fair manner. “I am today appearing before the ED, let the truth prevail, Satyamev Jayate,” he said.
Deshmukh said on account of a “witch-hunt campaign” launched at the instance of vested interests, false allegations have been levelled by persons who have “no credibility, honour or pride.” He alleged these persons are themselves knee-deep in rackets of extortion, fraud and even murder. “The principal person, who held the high office of Mumbai police commissioner, is now wanted as an absconding criminal,” Deshmukh said.
