Special PMLA Court Extends Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's ED Custody Till November 15

Deshmukh was arrested on November 2, following over 12 hours of interrogation.

On Sunday, the Bombay High Court had set aside a special court's order demanding Deshmukh in judicial custody and order him back in the Enforcement Directorate's.

The ED's case is based on the CBI's corruption FIR against Deshmukh wherein Ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh alleged that Deshmukh had asked dismissed cop Sachin Waze and two other officers to illegally collect Rs 100 crore from bar owners every month for him.

According to the ED probe, as Maharashtra's home minister, Deshmukh had received atleast Rs 4.7 crore in illegal gratification in cash from various orchestra bar owners between December 2020 and February 2021 through dismissed cop Sachin Waze.

The agency firther claims that the Home Minister of Maharashtra laundered the bribe money with the help of Delhi based paper companies by attempting to color it as donation to his trust namely Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha.

Recently, the agency recently filed a prosecution complaint against Waze and 12 others. The ED which had then issued summons to Deshmukh at least five times cited his non-appearance for not naming him in the chargesheet.

Arguments By The Counsels

Special Public Prosecutor for ED Shriram Shirsat sought at least two more days of custody as new facts have emerged.