Money Laundering Case: ED Raids Former Maharashtra HM Anil Deshmukh's Premises In Nagpur, Mumbai

Previously, the CBI had conducted raids at four premises of Anil Deshmukh after registering FIR against him in connection with allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Nagpur: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's premises in Mumbai and Nagpur, in connection with the alleged money laundering case.

Previously, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had conducted raids at four premises of Anil Deshmukh after registering FIR against him over allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

ED raided 4 premises in Mumbai and Anil Deshmukh's private residence in Nagpur. In Mumbai, the probe agency officials reached Dnyaneshwari Bungalow, Government Residence; Sukhda Tower, Worli Private Residence. They also conducted raids at the premises of Kundan Shinde and Sanjeev Palande, Deshmukh's assistant and secretary.

At present, Anil Deshmukh is under the supervision of ED officials who reached Worli's house at 12.25 pm. Anil Deshmukh's personal vehicle was accompanied by a car where 3 ED officers moved along with him.

Last month, 10 bar owners of Mumbai had talked about giving Rs 4 crore to Anil Deshmukh. The information related to the transaction reached ED.

In April, the CBI officials had conducted raids at four properties of Deshmukh in Maharashtra including his residence in Mumbai and other property in Nagpur and seized electronic gadgets and incriminating documents.

Before that, the probe agency had carried out a preliminary inquiry against Deshmukh on the Bombay High Court’s orders to look into the allegations against him levelled by the former Mumbai police commissioner.

Param Bir Singh had claimed that Anil Deshmukh asked police officers to collect money from restaurant and bar owners in Mumbai. In his letter, he had also mentioned that former assistant inspector Sachin Vaze and ACP Sanjay Patil were given a target to collect Rs 100 crores a month. These allegations were denied by the then-state home minister.

According to officials, the CBI got enough prima facie material during the inquiry to start a formal probe by registering a regular case against Deshmukh and other unidentified persons under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The former minister was summoned by the probe agency for questioning in connection with the matter on April 14.

As part of its preliminary inquiry, the CBI also questioned Deshmukh’s personal assistants Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde, former cop Sachin Vaze’s two drivers, bar owners, Mumbai Police officers and the people close to the former minister in connection with the alleged corruption case.

Alleging a "witch-hunt" against him, the former Mumbai top cop moved the Supreme Court again, seeking a probe into an alleged 'criminal conspiracy to frame him' and said that what is happening in Maharashtra is nothing but a "witch-hunt". 

The Supreme Court judge BR Gavai recused himself from hearing the plea seeking transfer of all departmental inquiries against him to an independent agency outside Maharashtra.