Ex-Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh arrested by ED

Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) late on Monday. The incident comes after multiple rounds of summons and questioning in a case related to bribery. Deshmukh was charged under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The CBI first booked Deshmukh in a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh. Singh, in his plea filed on March 25, sought a CBI probe against Deshmukh who, he claimed, had asked police officers, including top cop Sachin Waze, to extort Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants. Deshmukh had maintained that Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from his post.

The I-T department had then alleged "concealment of income" to the tune of Rs 17 crore after raids on institutions linked to him. The tax department also found alleged financial irregularities in a Nagpur-based trust linked to the NCP leader who runs three educational institutions, they claimed. "Evidence found during the search clearly indicates concealment of income to the extent of about Rs 17 crore," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) claimed.

The first summons to Deshmukh, his wife, and son Hrishikesh came soon after the ED raided their premises in Mumbai and Nagpur in June. It subsequently arrested two of his aides in this case, personal secretary Sanjeev Palande (51) and personal assistant Kundan Shinde (45).

The ED also had attached assets worth Rs 4.20 crore that were stated to be "beneficially owned" by Deshmukh. It claimed the probe found that "Deshmukh, while acting as home minister of Maharashtra, with dishonest intention has received illegal gratification of approximately Rs 4.70 crore in cash from various orchestra bar owners, through [suspended] Sachin Waze, then the assistant police inspector of Mumbai Police."