Mumbai: Former Minister of Home Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh felt that the investigation (ED) law enforcement against him in alleged money laundering cases was not justified, and therefore he did not join the probe, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
Overcoming a press conference, lawyer Deshmukh Kamlesh Ghumre also accused the education of Ed more like “harassment” than the original probe.
Ed had previously issued many calls to Deshmukh, asking him to record his statement.
However, the NCP leader (72), has missed a call quoting “his vulnerability” to Covid-19 as a reason for non-compliance.
He actually offered a central agent to record his statement through video conferencing.
Deshmukh has also moved the Supreme Court to seek protection from coercive actions in this case.
The case of Ed against Deshmukh and the other was made after the CBI posted him in a corruption case related to the accusation of at least RS 100 Crore bribery made by former Police Commissioner Mumbai Param Singh earlier this year.
“Deshmukh felt this investigation was not justified, therefore he did not join the investigation …
whatever the document desired by the probe agent, at least had to tell us,” said Ghumre Advocate.
Even though there are digital platforms and other ways, Deshmukh is asked to directly join questions, he said.
“The Ed probe looks like harassment and not an original investigation,” he thought.
The lawyer said the call was issued by Ed.
“But we have approached the Supreme Court to relieve,” said the lawyer.
In his letter to the Chairman of Maharashtra Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was expelled from the Police Commissioner Post, Param Bir Singh had alleged that Dishmukh had asked (now dismissed) Police officer Sachin Waze to squeeze more than Rs 100 Crore a month from the bar and restaurant in Mumbai.
“The accusation of Param Bir Singh is not true.
In fact, the High Court has questioned Singh why he was silent for months,” said the lawyer.
The Bombay High Court has booked orders on a request that seeks the PBI submitted by the CBI.
“We can expect orders anytime,” he added.
Ghumre also accused that Ed selectively leaked information to the media.
He further said that Waze Sachin had not been mentioned anywhere in Affidavit (submitted before the Commission request) that he had given money to Deshmukh.
Waze, in a written statement, never said that he met Anil Deshmukh in February.
Affidavit said that he had just met Desehmukh once, Ghumre stated.
Ed had arrested Deshmukh Sanjeev Palande’s personal secretary and Kundan Shinde’s personal assistant in connection with this case.
They are currently in court detention.
Deshmukh has resigned as a minister in April after the Bombay High Court directed the CBI to conduct an investigation into an allegation of corruption.