Money laundering case: Indian politician Anil Deshmukh arrested

Former Maharashtra (India) home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the early hours on Tuesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The ED had summoned Deshmukh several times in the past but the politician had managed to avoid appearing before it.

Deshmukh was a key member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is in coalition with the ruling alliance with the Shiv Sena and the Congress in Maharashtra.

He had appeared before the agency to record his statement three days after the Bombay High Court refused to quash the summons by the agency.

“I have received ED summons and the media has wrongly reported that I am not cooperating with the investigation,” he said in a message just before the interaction with the ED.

“After every summon, I informed the ED that my petition is pending before the courts and that I will produce myself before the ED after their outcomes. My staff and my family have always cooperated with the ED during the searches. I have also recorded my statements with the CBI. Today I am appearing before the ED.”

The 71-year-old politician described it as “a witch-hunt campaign” launched at the instance of certain vested inimical interests, who had levelled blatantly false allegations against him. They have absolutely no credibility, honour or pride, he added.

“These unscrupulous persons are themselves knee-deep involved in several rackets of extortion and even murder. The principal person who held the high office of commissioner of police is now a wanted absconding criminal,” charged Deshmukh.

He was referring to former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh who had demanded a probe into Deshmukh’s corrupt practices.

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The ED accuses the former minister of having got ‘illegal gratification’ of Dh23 mliion (Rs470 million) from orchestra bar owners in Mumbai, who were demanding the ease of restrictions during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. The funds were deposited in four shell companies in Delhi and later donated to a charity owned by Deshmukh and his family.

The NCP continues to back Deshmukh. Nawab Malik, the NCP spokesperson said the arrest was politically motivated and was aimed at maligning the image of ruling front leaders in the state.

• India