Anil Deshmukh reached SC after ED summons, said – strict action should not be taken

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh has filed a plea in Supreme Court praying that no coercive action should be taken against him in connection to the money laundering case, said his lawyer Inderpal B Singh on Sunday

ED has summoned Deshmukh for questioning on July 5, in connection the case.

The ED has, so far, issued three notices to Deshmukh, who has been asked to record his statement at the central agency's office in south Mumbai on Monday.

On June 29, Deshmukh skipped the second summons citing the COVID pandemic and asked the ED to record his statement through an "audio/visual" mode of their choice.

He has also skipped the summon on June 26.

Earlier on June 25, the ED had raided Deshmukh's residences in Nagpur and Mumbai. Raids were conducted at five places.

After the raids, Deshmukh had said that former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh had made false allegations against him after he was removed from the post over his suspicious role.

The case against the former Home Minister was registered on May 11. Earlier in April, the CBI had conducted raids at four premises of Deshmukh after registering an FIR against him in connection with the case.

An FIR was filed based on Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and criminal conspiracy (IPC 120 B).

During the searches, the CBI recovered incriminating documents and digital devices, sources confirmed.

Param Bir Singh, in his letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had alleged that Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze to collect ₹100 crores every month.

Waze was arrested in March in connection with the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) probe into the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.