ED’s case based on presumptions: Anil Deshmukh to HC

Former home minister Anil Deshmukh has claimed before the Bombay high court that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case against him is based on presumptions and though the original allegation was of him collecting ₹100 crore, the agency has been able to track the money trail of barely ₹1

Former home minister Anil Deshmukh has claimed before the Bombay high court that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case against him is based on presumptions and though the original allegation was of him collecting ₹100 crore, the agency has been able to track the money trail of barely ₹1.70 crore.

HT Image

A single-judge bench of justice N J Jamadar on Tuesday commenced hearing his bail application filed through advocates Aniket Nikam and Inderpal Singh.

Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, appearing for Deshmukh, argued that the case of ED was based on presumptions and the statement of another accused Sachin Waze who himself had been charged with seven-eight serious crimes.

Deshmukh, a Nationalist Congress Party leader, further said the statements of several accused recorded by the ED were doubtful especially that of Waze who had said that he was acting on behalf of “number one” which was presumed to be him. The “number one” should have been former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh but the agency had given him a red-carpet treatment as he was their blue-eyed boy, Deshmukh said.

Chaudhari concluded that Deshmukh was 73 years old and was suffering from various ailments, including lung and spinal problems. The bench was told that as the maximum sentence for the alleged crime was seven years’ imprisonment, and as the NCP leader had already been in jail for the last 11 months and the trial in the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) case was not likely to commence anytime soon, he should be granted bail.

Additional solicitor general Anil Singh will argue on behalf of the ED on Wednesday.

Deshmukh, who was arrested in a money-laundering case registered by the ED in November last year, had approached the HC after a special PMLA court rejected his bail application in March.

However, when his plea came up for hearing before the HC on March 25, the assignment of justice Anuja Prabhudesai, who was hearing the application, changed and the application went before the bench of justice Bharati Dangre who recused from hearing it on June 9. Thereafter it came before justice Jamadar on July 1, but as the assignment changed before completion of the hearing, it went before justice P K Chavan, who too recused from hearing the matter on September 5.

Deshmukh on Monday complained to the Supreme Court that the delay in hearing his bail plea was causing him prejudice following which the apex court directed the HC to hear his application expeditiously.