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Anil Deshmukh writes letter to ED, claims probe against him not transparent
Anil Deshmukh moved the Supreme Court on Sunday seeking protection from any coercive action in the money laundering case. He has denied all the allegations against him.
Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh sent a letter to Enforcement Directorate (ED) claiming that the ongoing investigation against him is not transparent. The agency has sent summons to the politician in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to a purported bribery racket operated through dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze.
Deshmukh has sent the letter to the Assistant Director of the agency. The ED has asked the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to appear before it on Monday.
"A series of events has given rise to apprehensions in my mind that neither procedure of law is being followed nor any objective investigations are being carried out. Therefore, I'm approaching Hon’ble Court to ensure that probe is within ambit of the procedure established by law," Deshmukh said in the letter.
He had moved the Supreme Court on Sunday seeking protection from any coercive action in the case.
The ED has also summoned Deshmukh's son Hrishikesh on July 6 in the same case.
This is the third time Deshmukh has been summoned by the ED in the case. He skipped two of the agency's earlier summons. Through his lawyers, he had sought documents pertaining to ED’s complaint against him and also requested the agency to record his statement online. Both his requests were turned down by the agency.
Deshmukh has denied all the allegations against him and claimed that he is cooperating with ED.
On June 25, the ED had raided Deshmukh's residences in Nagpur and Mumbai. Raids were conducted at five other places.
The case against the former Maharashtra home minister was registered on May 11 following an explosive letter from ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who claimed that Deshmukh had asked Vaze to collect ₹100 crore every month from hotels and pubs in Mumbai.
Deshmukh called the allegations false, but resigned from the post of home minister after a court ordered registration of cases against him.
