Money laundering case: ED arrests ex-Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) late on Monday in connection with its money laundering probe in an alleged extortion racket.

According to an ED official, the arrest has been made after 13 hours of Deshmukh's questioning at the central agency office on Monday.

They said Deshmukh, 71, was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). They claimed the senior NCP leader was evasive during questioning and the agency will seek his custody after they produce him before a local court here on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh will oppose his Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand before the court, said the lawyer of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader on Tuesday.

In a video statement on Monday, the 71-year-old NCP leader had said: "All allegations against me are false."

Mr Deshmukh was accused of corruption and extortion by Mumbai's ex top cop Param Bir Singh.

In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Param Bir Singh had accused Mr Deshmukh of interference and using the police to extort up to ₹ 100 crore every month. He had written the letter days after being removed from his post over tardy progress in the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare matter under his watch.

Mr Deshmukh had said some "unforgivable" lapses had been revealed in the Mukesh Ambani security scare probe under the police chief.

Even as the NCP leader rubbished the allegations and threatened a defamation case over the bribery claims, the allegations triggered a huge political storm in the state amid calls for his resignation by the opposition leaders.

Now, the former top cop is also missing and a lookout notice has already been issued against him. He also faces allegations of extortion and several cases have been filed against him.

Mr Deshmukh on Monday slammed the former top cop: "Where is Param Bir Singh, who made allegations against me? Today the officers of Param Bir Singh's own department and several businessmen have filed their complaints against him."

On Sunday, the CBI made the first arrest in the bribery case linked to the former minister.