Former high-profile Maharashtra home minister and senior NCP leader Anil Deshmukh would have to spend Diwali in the custody of Enforcement Directorate.
The development has shaken the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA which is under constant fire from the opposition BJP on the issue of corruption.
A holiday court on Tuesday remanded him to the federal agency’s custody till 6 November - hours after the 72-year-old politician was arrested on allegations of corruption and misuse of office.
Deshmukh, who is considered close to NCP founder-president Sharad Pawar and party’s general secretary Praful Patel, had to resign after former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh shot off a letter to the chief minister alleging that he has fixed a collection target of Rs 100 crore per month for now dismissed assistant police inspector Sachin Waze - promoting the CBI and ED to step in.
Deshmukh had defied five ED summons, however, on Monday noon, he made an entry into the ED’s Ballard Estate office - only to be arrested around midnight and booked under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Deshmukh was produced before additional sessions judge PB Jadhav, who presided over a holiday court, who remanded him to the ED custody till 6 November.
While additional solicitor general Anil Singh appeared on behalf of ED, Deshmukh was represented by senior advocate Vikram Chaudhri assisted by advocate Aniket Nikam.
The ED has sought 14 days custody for Deshmukh, however, the defence lawyers opposed it.
Finally the court awarded 5 days custody.
The media was not allowed in the courtroom.
The defence lawyers have opposed the ED prayer saying that before the Bombay High Court as well the Supreme Court, the agency had said that Anil Deshmukh has not been named as an accused in the case so far.
Leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi said that the action was politically motivated and aimed to destabilise the alliance which is opposed to BJP.
The MVA leaders also questioned as to where is former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who has made allegations against Deshmukh.
“The action is politically motivated and aimed at maligning the MVA government,” NCP chief spokesperson and state minority affairs minister said.
He wondered whether Singh had been given a safe passage and wanted to know from BJP where he was.
“It is travesty of justice…complainant who levelled allegations without proof is absconding or was allowed to flee India. The Preliminary Enquiry of CBI gives clean chit to Deshmukh. His real crime is that as home minister is that he took steps which Modi-government did not like like the Mohan Delkar suicide case, the Arnab Goswami case,” said senior Congress leader Sachin Sawant.
“The arrest does not fit in the frame of law…Deshmukh is already fighting a legal battle and the outcome is awaited. It is unfortunate,” said Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut.
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