Anil Deshmukh appears before ED for questioning in money laundering case

In a significant development, former Maharashtra home minister and senior NCP leader appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Monday.

Deshmukh (72) is close to NCP founder-president Sharad Pawar and the party’s general secretary Praful Patel.

Deshmukh, who had evaded five summons earlier, was accompanied by lawyers when he entered the ED office at Ballard Estate.

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Deshmukh is being probed by the ED and CBI and so far has not got any significant relief from the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court.

The senior politician from Vidarbha had to resign from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government after former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh - who is now untraceable - alleged that the minister has fixed a Rs 100 crore per month collection target for now dismissed assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze.

It may be mentioned that Vaze was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the twin cases of planting of a gelatin sticks-laden Mahindra Scorpio near Antilia, the residence of Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani and the murder of the SUV owner Mansukh Hiran slapping and faces murder and terror charges.

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Deshmukh, his wife Aarti Deshmukh and their son Hrishikesh Deshmukh had been repeatedly summoned by ED.

It may be mentioned that the ED had arrested Deshmukh’s personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde - and they have been charge-sheeted by the ED, which has also attached properties to the tune of Rs 4.20 crore which are linked to Deshmukh and his family.

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