Money laundering case: Court issues process against Anil Deshmukh for non-appearance before ED

Mumbai: A court here on Friday issued process against former Maharashtra home Minister Anil Deshmukh for not appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pertaining to its probe in a money laundering case registered against him.

The process against Deshmukh was issued by additional chief metropolitan magistrate R M Nerlikar Deshmukh under IPC section 174 when the court was hearing a plea filed by the ED against the NCP leader.

The court said considering the summons that had been issued were received by the accused and his daughter or advocate on his behalf, prima facie the case against him is made out.

The ED had filed the plea before the metropolitan court last week, seeking action against Deshmukh under IPC section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant) for failing to appear before it despite being summoned multiple times in a money laundering case.

This section attracts a simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or fine up to five hundred rupees or both.

Two of Deshmukh’s aides – Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde – have been arrested in the case. They are currently in the judicial custody.

Besides the duo, the probe agency, in its charge-sheet filed recently, has also named dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze as an accused. However, Deshmukh or his family members have not been made accused in the charge sheet.

The ED launched a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year after former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of corruption.

Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked Waze to collect Rs 100 crore from city bars and hotels every month, a charge denied by the former minister.

Deshmukh resigned a minister in April this year.