'Untraceable', Maharashtra's ex Home Minister Anil Deshmukh arrives at ED office in money laundering case
Maharashtra's ex-Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who is being probed in the money laundering case, finally arrived at the Enforcement Directorate office on Monday and claimed a false narrative was being created by “vested interests” that he was avoiding to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in connection with its probe into a money laundering case. The NCP leader said he is keen to present himself before “unbiased authorities”.
In a statement released after he entered the ED's office, Deshmukh further claimed that a “witch-hunt” has been launched at the instance of certain “inimical interests”, by people who have absolutely no credibility, honour or pride. “A false narrative, an erroneous impression, is being created by these vested interests that I am evading or avoiding to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. Undoubtedly, such propaganda is absolutely baseless,” Deshmukh said.
The NCP leader further said he has only sought a transparent, fair and an objective probe without any fear or favour. “I am keen to appear before such unbiased authorities and expose the falsity of the accusations that have been levelled against me with a fervent hope that the officers of the Enforcement Directorate shall rise up to the occasion and act in a fair manner, and also lay go rest the misgivings about my cooperation with the investigations,” the letter said.
The ED officials said the federal probe agency will record the statement of the 71-year-old NCP leader under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the criminal investigation being carried out by it in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra Police establishment that led to Deshmukh's resignation in April.
Deshmukh had skipped at least four summons issued by the ED in the case but after the Bombay High Court last week refused to quash these summons, he appeared before the agency.
The ED case against Deshmukh, who was earlier the home minister in the MVA government, and others came after the CBI booked him in the corruption case related to allegations of bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
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