ED registers case against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh

Less than a month after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked him on charges of corruption, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case against former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to probe charges of money laundering.

Last month, on April 24, the CBI had booked Deshmukh and “unknown others” on charges of corruption and criminal conspiracy. The ED has registered a case on the basis of CBI’s FIR.

The list of charges by CBI also include “attempt to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty”. The agency registered the case after it found prima facie evidence against Deshmukh in its preliminary enquiry (PE), said people aware of the matter. The

The CBI had carried out search operations at nearly half-dozen places in Mumbai and Nagpur, including Deshmukh’s residence on April 24. Its sleuths had conducted the search operations wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) kits ensuring all Covid-19 protocols, said the people.

The FIR registered by the CBI reads “the preliminary enquiry prima facie revealed that a cognisance offence is made out in the matter, wherein the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and unknown others have attempted to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of their public duty”.

It adds that the preliminary enquiry “has also revealed that Sachin Waze, had been reinstated into the Police force after being out of the police service for more than 15 years. The enquiry further revealed that Sachin Waze was entrusted with the sensational and important cases of Mumbai city police and that the then Home Minister Anil Dehsmukh was in knowledge of the said fact”.

The CBI’s FIR also makes a mention of the petition filed by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh’s petition in the Bombay High Court. Singh’s petition also “finds mention of the fact that the then Home Minister of Maharashtra and others exercised undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials and thereby exercising undue influence over the performance of official duties by the officials”, reads the CBI’s FIR.

The agency had grilled Deshmukh on April 14 for nearly eight hours as part of its PE to probe allegations of corruption and misuse of office levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. It had also questioned Deshmukh’s two personal assistants, Kundan Shinde and Sanjeev Palande, earlier this month.

The role of “other individuals including public servants” in the alleged extortion racket will also be looked into by the agency, said the people.

The CBI had lodged a PE on the directions of the Bombay High Court in March. The petition was filed by Jaishri Patil.

Following the lodging of PE, Deshmukh had stepped down. Param Bir Singh has accused Deshmukh of asking suspended Mumbai cop Sachin Waze as well as other policemen to extort Rs 100 crore every month from bars, hotels and restaurants in the city.

Both Deshmukh and his party, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), have denied the allegations. The NCP is part of the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition in Maharashtra.

Singh had claimed in a letter that Deshmukh’s personal assistant Palande was present when Deshmukh gave the alleged instruction regarding extortion to Waze.

The CBI had recorded the statements of Param Bir Singh, Mumbai assistant commissioner of police Sanjay Patil, Sachin Waze and petitioner Jaishri Patil in April.



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