Bombay HC to hear today Anil Deshmukh's plea against ED summons

The ED had begun a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

The Bombay high court will on Wednesday hear a petition filed by former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh against summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money laundering case. Last Thursday, the court had asked the ED to respond to Deshmukh's plea seeking quashing of the summons.

A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar was hearing Anil Deshmukh’s plea. (HT File Photo)

A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar was hearing Deshmukh’s plea. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who was representing the ED sought an adjournment, stating that Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta would like to address the court in connection with the plea, reported news agency PTI.

Senior counsel Vikram Chaudhri and advocate Aniket Nikam, lawyers representing Deshmukh, told the bench that the ED has been indulging in “demeaning” tactics by delaying the hearing and argued that the court should hear the matter on Thursday itself for grant of interim protection from any coercive action.

“This petition demonstrates a hapless state of affairs… Tactics by ED are deplorable. Manner in which it (ED) applied the law, it becomes a matter of oppression. We are here before a division bench as the earlier bench asked us to move the division bench and we are ready to argue,” Deshmukh’s lawyer said, according to PTI.

The ED had begun a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

Deshmukh in his plea refuted the ED’s claims that while serving as home minister, he misused his official position and through police officer Sachin Waze collected ₹4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai. “The entire claim of Waze giving ₹4.70 crore to the applicant (Deshmukh) and the same amount being routed by the applicant’s family is factually incorrect, the plea said.