Former state home minister Anil Deshmukh moves HC for bail

The application states that the allegations have not been corroborated by the agency even after the passage of substantial time since he was detained and hence he should be granted bail.

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday moved a bail application before the Bombay high court after a special court rejected his plea on March 14.

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on March 14 had rejected the bail plea of Deshmukh in the money laundering case. (ANI)

The bail application filed through advocates Aniket Nikam and Inderpal Singh has stated that the allegations and accusations of money laundering and extortion against Deshmukh were based on the statements of some persons who themselves are also accused of various offences. It stated that the investigating agency has not been able to provide any evidence to substantiate the allegations and hence he should be granted bail.

According to the application, Deshmukh had never shied away from interrogation and had voluntarily attended the office of the investigating agency as and when he was summoned. The application states that the allegations have not been corroborated by the agency even after the passage of substantial time since he was detained and hence he should be granted bail.

“There is ample material on record to demonstrate that there a tug of war relating to the investigations into the accusations that form a part of the present case and other alike cases as to whether the State police machinery or the CBI will investigate,” it said.

The application also states that former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh has warmed up to the central agency and hence has been given a red carpet welcome and a safe passage. The application also raises doubts on the credibility of the statements of Singh, against whom there are several serious offences registered by the police.

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on March 14 had rejected the bail plea of Deshmukh in the money laundering case. The denial of bail came days after the same court had rejected the Nationalist Congress Party leader’s appeal for default bail.

Both Deshmukh and suspended cop Sachin Vaze had appeared before the Chandiwal Commission which was appointed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to probe ex-Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh’s allegations of corruption against Deshmukh.

Days after his removal as the Mumbai police commissioner, Param Bir Singh on March 20 last year had written a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, accusing Deshmukh of instructing Sachin Vaze to collect ₹100 crore every month from restaurants and bars of Mumbai.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 21 last year registered a case against the NCP leader based on Singh’s charges. Later, the Enforcement Directorate too registered a money laundering case against Deshmukh, his son and others.

During interrogation by the ED, Vaze claimed that on Deshmukh’s instructions he had called a meeting of bar owners. Between December 2020 and February 2021, he had collected ₹4.7 crores from the owners of orchestra bars to avoid police interference. According to the ED, Vaze claimed he had handed over the money to Deshmukh’s personal assistant Kundan Shinde.