Anil Deshmukh Took Undue Advantage Of His Positions Since 1992, Illegally Earned Money Used In 13 Companies: ED

In a statement to ED, dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze said that Deshmukh demanded Rs 2 crore from him for reinstating him in Mumbai Police after 16 years of suspension

Image: ANI

New Delhi: After more than a year since former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested in connection to the Rs 100 crore extortion case, the Enforcement Directorate in its charge sheet said that former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh has been taking undue 'advantage of the positions he held since 1992.'

What are the major findings in the chargesheet?

"Anil Deshmukh took the wrong advantage of his position since 1992. He made a lot of money and property through illegal means. The illegally earned money was used in 13 companies. These are either owned by his sons or his close associates," reads the chargesheet, according to news agency ANI report.

"Many government employees were also associated with him and he used to get work done from them," the chargesheet revealed. In this case, the ED has recorded statements of around 51 people including several IAS, IPS officers, CA, politicians and owners of bars.

Another revelation in the charge sheet is done by dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze, who said in his statement that Deshmukh demanded Rs 2 crore from him for reinstating him in Mumbai Police after 16 years of suspension.

"Waze said that many politicians were against his reinstatement. Deshmukh called him at Sahyadri Guest House on June 16, 2021, and told him that he has talked to those politicians who were against my reinstatement.

Apart from this, the minister also assured them that they would do 'good work' together," according to the chargesheet. Moreover, Deshmukh was regularly getting information from Sachin Waze and they were together involved in this whole racket of extortion of collecting Rs 100 crore a month from various bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai, according to the chargesheet.

What about family involvement?

According to the chargesheet, Deshmukh's family members including son Hrishikesh Deshmukh and other son Salil Deshmukh and wife Aarti Deshmukh, are not cooperating in the investigation.

Hrishikesh Deshmukh, who has been summoned six times to appear for the investigation didn’t appear even once, according to the chargesheet. Salil was also summoned twice in this case for questioning but he also did not appear.

Aarti Deshmukh was asked to appear on July 14, 2021, and July 16, 2021, but she has also not appeared before the investigating agency.

What’s the case?

In November, last year, the former Maharashtra Home Minister was arrested by ED in connection with the alleged Rs 100-crore extortion and money laundering case. He is currently lodged at Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.

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.

ED registered a case against Deshmukh and others based on a corruption case filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze in March 2021 in connection with the investigation into the recovery of explosives from a car parked near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's house Antilia in Mumbai.