New Delhi: Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was released from Arthur Road jail in Mumbai on Wednesday after the Bombay High Court refused to stay his bail in a corruption case, news agency ANI reported.
The 73-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was arrested in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 2 last year.
The ED’s money-laundering case, registered on May 11 last year, was based on an FIR registered by the CBI on April 21.
A vacation bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday had rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation’s petition seeking another extension on the stay to Deshmukh’s bail order, thus paving the way for his release.
Param Bir Singh, in an affidavit submitted in court, stated that accusations made against Anil Deshmukh were based on hearsay, he had no evidence against me: Former Maharashtra Home Minister & NCP leader Anil Deshmukh after bail in money laundering case pic.twitter.com/jvpr9My8hW
— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2022
On Wednesday, special judge for CBI cases SM Menjoge issued a release memo after the bail formalities were completed.
It is to be noted that Justice MS Karnik had granted bail to the NCP leader on December 12, but stayed the order for 10 days as the CBI sought time to challenge it in the Supreme Court.
The central agency moved the top court but the appeal would be heard only in January 2023 as the court is closed for vacation.
Earlier last week, the high court had extended the stay till December 27 on the CBI’s request.
Deshmukh’s lawyers Aniket Nikam and Inderpal Singh said the CBI was trying to “overreach” the earlier order of the high court which had stated that under no circumstances another extension will be granted.