ED arrests former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment, officials said.

They said Deshmukh, 71, has been arrested as per the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

They claimed the senior NCP leader was evasive during questioning and the agency will seek his custody after they produce him before a local court here on Tuesday.

The politician arrived at the ED office in the Ballard Estate area of south Mumbai around 11:40 AM accompanied by his lawyer and his associates and was soon after put under grilling sessions with some breaks in between, sources said.

Deshmukh appeared before the agency after the Bombay High Court last week refused to quash these summons. He had skipped at least five such ED notices.

The money laundering case against Deshmukh and others was made out after the CBI booked him in a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.