Money laundering case: ED issues lookout circular against Anil Deshmukh
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a look out notice against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who has skipped at least five summons issued by the agency in connection with a money laundering investigation against him.
A look out circular is typically issued to prevent a person from leaving the country. Such a circular remains valid upto to a year or till the requesting law agency cancels or renews it.
The ED is probing the financial transactions of Deshmukh and his family. According to a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) filed by the agency, Deshmukh, while acting as the home minister, “received illegal gratification of approximately Rs 4.7 crore in cash from various orchestra bar owners” through now dismissed Mumbai Police assistant inspector Sachin Waze, who has been arrested in the Ambani terror scare case.
According to the ED, Deshmukh’s family “laundered the tainted sum of Rs 4.18 crore and projected it as untainted by showing the same amount received by a trust, namely Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha”.
Deshmukh had moved the Supreme Court against the ED probe, however the apex court did not grant him relief against the ED action. Subsequently, Deshmukh moved the Bombay High court seeking to quash the ED investigation.
In his reply to ED summons , Deshmukh has alleged that the probe against him is unfair. He has also asked the agency to record his statements in the case through video conference.
Deshmukh is also under the CBI scanner after former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh’s alleged corruption against the NCP leader. Deshmukh has denied the allegations.
In his March 20 letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was removed as the Mumbai Police chief, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh asked police officers, including Waze, to collect Rs 100 crore, including Rs 40 to 50 crore each month from 1,750 bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
Last week the CBI arrested Deshmukh’s lawyer Anand Daga for allegedly bribing a CBI sub-inspector Abhishek Tiwari involved in the conduct of preliminary enquiry of the case against Deshmukh. The CBI has also questioned Deshmukh’s-son-in-law in the case.