Nagpur: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s residence in Nagpur in connection with an alleged money laundering case.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had raided four premises of Anil Deshmukh after former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh filed an FIR against him in connection with the allegations leveled against him.
Read also | Delhi government increased oxygen requirement by 4 times amid second wave of Kovid: SC Audit Committee
In April, CBI officials had raided four properties of Deshmukh in Maharashtra, including Deshmukh’s residence in Mumbai and other properties in Nagpur, and seized electronic gadgets and incriminating documents.
Earlier, the probe agency had conducted a preliminary inquiry against Deshmukh on the orders of the Bombay High Court to probe the allegations made by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner.
Param Bir Singh had claimed that Anil Deshmukh had asked police officers to take money from restaurant and bar owners in Mumbai. In his letter he had also mentioned that former assistant inspector Sachin Waje and ACP Sanjay Patil were given a target to collect Rs 100 crore in a month. The then home minister of the state had denied these allegations.
According to officials, the CBI found sufficient prima facie material during the probe to initiate a formal investigation by registering a routine case against Deshmukh and other unidentified persons under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The investigating agency had summoned the former minister for questioning on April 14 in this case.
The CBI, as part of its preliminary probe, also questioned Deshmukh’s personal assistants Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde, two drivers of former policeman Sachin Waje, bar owners, Mumbai Police officials and people close to the former minister in connection with the alleged corruption case.
Alleging a “witch-hunt” against him, the former Mumbai top cop again moves the Supreme Court, seeking a probe into an alleged ‘criminal conspiracy to implicate him’ and whatever happens in Maharashtra It is nothing more than a “witch-hunt”. “.
Supreme Court Justice BR Gavai recused himself from hearing a plea seeking transfer of all departmental investigations against him to an independent agency outside Maharashtra.
.