A Mumbai court has held that there is evidence to show that former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh exercised undue influence on police transfers during his tenure, PTI reported.
RN Rokade, special Prevention of Money Laundering Act judge, made the observation while denying bail to Deshmukh. The judge passed the order on March 14, and the detailed verdict was made available on Thursday.
The court also said that there was proof to show that Deshmukh, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, or NCP, was involved in money laundering.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the allegations against Deshmukh. Its inquiry is based on the case registered by by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet has statements of more than 10 police officers who allegedly got their postings on Deshmukh’s recommendation during his tenure as the Maharashtra home minister.
The Prevention of Money Laundering Act court on March 14 said that from the statements recorded by the Enforcement Directorate, it was clear that an unofficial list of transfers and postings of police officials used to be made at the instance of the NCP leader.
“Prima facie, there is material to indicate that recommendations received from the applicant [Deshmukh used to be included in the final order prepared by PEB [Police Establishment Board]” the court said.
Judge Rokade said that evidence showed that the NCP leader had allegedly laundered Rs 13.25 crore since 2011, according to PTI. He took note of the Enforcement Directorate’s allegation that out of this amount, Rs 2.83 was laundered during his stint as the Maharashtra home minister.
The agency is also investigating allegations by former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh that the former Maharashtra home minister had asked some officers to extort Rs 100 crore every month from bars and restaurants in the city.
Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on November 2 and has been in judicial custody since then. While he has denied the allegations against him, he resigned from the Maharashtra Cabinet on April 5 after the Bombay High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct a preliminary inquiry against him.
On January 18, the special court had rejected the former minister’s default bail plea. In this plea, Deshmukh had argued that since his arrest in November, the court had not taken cognisance of the chargesheet filed against him within 60 days as prescribed under Section 167 of The Code of Criminal Procedure.
The Enforcement Directorate, however, had said that chargesheet had been filed within 60 days of Deshmukh’s arrest.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!