Anil Deshmukh’s judicial custody extended till December 27 in money laundering case

The judicial custody of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was extended for another 15 days on Tuesday, in connection with the Rs 100 crore money laundering case. The NCP leader will continue to stay at Mumbai's Arthur Road jail till December 27. 

This is the third consecutive extension of the former Maharashtra Minister's judicial custody. Deshmukh was first remanded to judicial custody for 14 days on November 15 by the special PMLA court. Prior to this, he had been in the custody of the ED after a marathon grilling on November 1. 

Both Deshmukh and ex-API Sachin Vaze are currently in judicial custody in separate cases being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Notably, ex-Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh, Sachin Vaze, and Anil Deshmukh have also been regularly appearing before the Chandiwal Commission in the case. The agencies are expected to corroborate the statements of all accused in the Maha Vasooli Racket over the next few days.

Charges against Anil Deshmukh

Trouble mounted for Anil Deshmukh after former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh levelled 'extortion' charges against him in February in an 8-page letter addressed to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. In the letter, Singh claimed that the NCP leader had asked Mumbai API Sachin Vaze to extort Rs.100 crore per month from 1,750 bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai. After the HC directed the CBI to carry out a preliminary inquiry into the allegations, Deshmukh resigned as the Home Minister and was replaced by Dilip Walse-Patil.

On April 21, the CBI registered an FIR against the NCP leader and unknown individuals under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). According to the FIR, the former Maharashtra Home Minister was aware that dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze was entrusted with most of the sensational and important cases of Mumbai. The FIR also accused him and others of exercising undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials. On May 11, the ED filed an ECIR against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for obtaining illegal gratification.

Image: PTI