MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 5 filed its reply to oppose a bail plea made by former home minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh,73, saying that Deshmukh was the “mastermind of the entire conspiracy hatched with his son Hrishikesh Deshmukh, Sachin Waze, Sanjeev Palande, Kundan Shinde and others’’ and had misused his official position to amass wealth in an alleged money laundering case.
The ED said Deshmukh had “received illegal gratification to the tune of Rs 4.7 crore in cash collected through Sachin Waze from orchestra bar owners during December 2020 and February 2021.’’ It added that he had later allegedly projected the money as untainted by depicting them as donations.
The ED said Waze had said he was reinstated after the decision of the police departmental review committee held on June 5, 2020 and had received a call from Deshmukh a week later asking him to “pay RS 2 crore.’’ When Waze said he expressed his inability, he was asked to pay it in due course of time and he met him at state guest house where he claimed, “Deshmukh told him together they will do good cases.’’
Deshmukh’s application is expected to be heard by the Bombay high court on Friday.
Deshmukh is seeking bail on merits of the case and also citing health ailments after the Special PMLA court recently denied him bail on March 14.
The ED registered a money laundering case last May following a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act registered on April 21,2021 by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Deshmukh was arrested last November.
The ED in a 56-page affidavit is seeking dismissal of his bail plea saying its “completely devoid of merits’’ and said his arrest on November 2, 2021 was legal and “under a reasonable belief that he is guilty of the offence of money laundering’’ and he had “obtained undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty’’
The ED said Deshmukh exercised undue influence over police postings and transfers and “in consultation with one cabinet minister used to prepare a list of names of police officials’’ and has “been laundering his unaccounted money in cash through his family members and associates’’ .
The ED said Deshmukh had “received illegal gratification to the tune of Rs 4.7 crore in cash collected through Sachin Waze from orchestra bar owners during December 2020 and February 2021.’’ It added that he had later allegedly projected the money as untainted by depicting them as donations.
The ED said Waze had said he was reinstated after the decision of the police departmental review committee held on June 5, 2020 and had received a call from Deshmukh a week later asking him to “pay RS 2 crore.’’ When Waze said he expressed his inability, he was asked to pay it in due course of time and he met him at state guest house where he claimed, “Deshmukh told him together they will do good cases.’’
Deshmukh’s application is expected to be heard by the Bombay high court on Friday.
Deshmukh is seeking bail on merits of the case and also citing health ailments after the Special PMLA court recently denied him bail on March 14.
The ED registered a money laundering case last May following a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act registered on April 21,2021 by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Deshmukh was arrested last November.
The ED in a 56-page affidavit is seeking dismissal of his bail plea saying its “completely devoid of merits’’ and said his arrest on November 2, 2021 was legal and “under a reasonable belief that he is guilty of the offence of money laundering’’ and he had “obtained undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty’’
The ED said Deshmukh exercised undue influence over police postings and transfers and “in consultation with one cabinet minister used to prepare a list of names of police officials’’ and has “been laundering his unaccounted money in cash through his family members and associates’’ .
