NCP leader Majeed Memon throws weight behind Anil Deshmukh; slams Param Bir for absconding

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former MP Majeed Memon has thrown his weight behind party colleague and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Taking to Twitter, Majeed Memon said that Deshmukh abided by the legal process and answered the summons of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the extortion case. In addition, he said that Anil Deshmukh has never evaded the law, unlike 'his opponent' former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh who is absconding. 

Anil Deshmukh appears before ED after HC denies relief

In a big development on Monday, NCP leader and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh appeared before the ED for questioning after skipping multiple summons. Deshmukh showed up before the ED comes after the Bombay High Court on 29 October rejected his plea challenging the summons. Therefore, Deshmukh came with his lawyer to the ED office to record his statement. The ED has already conducted multiple raids at premises linked with Anil Deshmukh. In addition, it has also attached immovable assets worth Rs.4.2 crore belonging to him and his family members under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.  

Mumbai Extortion Case 

On 20 February, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh levelled serious 'extortion' charges against the then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Singh alleged that the Deshmukh had asked Sachin Vaze to extort Rs.100 crore per month from 1750 bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai. Following this, Deshmukh resigned after the High Court directed the CBI to carry out a preliminary enquiry into these allegations. 

On 21 April, 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 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. Furthermore, it accused him and others of exercising undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials. 

Subsequently, the ED filed an ECIR against Anil Deshmukh on May 11 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for allegedly obtaining illegal gratification which was based on the corruption case registered by the CBI. On 16 August, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar, Krishna Murari, and V Ramasubramanian had declined to grant him protection from any coercive action in the case registered by the ED. Thereafter, the central agency issued a lookout notice against the ex-Maharashtra Home Minister after he skipped its summons 5 times in a row. 

Image: ANI/PTI