PMLA Case: The Enforcement Directorate is once again conducting raids at three known hideouts belonging to former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. The ED team has been conducting search raids since this morning at three locations in Nagpur belonging to Anil Deshmukh, who has been accused of money laundering. Anil Deshmukh has also rejected the fourth ED summons and is hoping for relief by petitioning the Supreme Court.
Anil Deshmukh Declining ED Summons
Anil Deshmukh did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the fourth time on Monday in connection with the probe into the money laundering case. Deshmukh sent a two-page letter to the ED through his advocate Inderpal Singh and said that he would be sending his representative soon.
ED had earlier summoned Deshmukh thrice for questioning in the money laundering case but he did not turn up once. The ED on Friday issued fresh summons to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh and his son Hrishikesh Deshmukh to appear before the investigating agency's office in South Mumbai on Monday but they did not appear.
Sources had earlier said that the ED had summoned Anil Deshmukh under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as the agency wants to record his statement in the case.
Deshmukh Denies All Allegations
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched a preliminary inquiry into the case following a Bombay High Court order, after which the ED had registered a case against Deshmukh and others. The court had asked the CBI to probe the bribery allegations levelled against Anil Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh. Deshmukh, who resigned as home minister in April, has denied all allegations.