Money laundering case: ED issues fresh summons to Anil Deshmukh

New Delhi, Aug 17: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fifth summons to former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in connection with a money-laundering case, asking him to appear before it on August 18.

The development comes a day after the Supreme Court refused interim protection to the 71-year-old NCP politician from any coercive action by the federal agency.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar, however, had said that Deshmukh was at liberty to access remedies.

It has been issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as the agency wants to further record his statement in this case, the sources said.

Deshmukh had skipped the last such appearances for questioning in the case, calling the ED action unjustified.

His son Hrishikesh and wife too were summoned and they also did not appear.

Deshmukh has last month issued a video statement stating that he would appear before the ED "after" the apex court's decision on his petition.

"I had received ED's summons after which I filed a petition in the Supreme Court. I will go to the ED to record my statement after the SC's decision on my petition," Deshmukh had said.

The summonses were issued in connection with the criminal case registered under the PMLA related to an alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra police establishment that led to Deshmukh's resignation in April.

The agency raided Deshmukh's premises in Mumbai and Nagpur in June apart from that of his aides and some others.

It subsequently arrested two of his aides, personal secretary Sanjeev Palande (51) and personal assistant Kundan Shinde (45).

The Enforcement Directorate's case against Deshmukh and others was made out after the CBI booked him in a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The ED recently also attached assets worth Rs 4.20 crore of Deshmukh and his family.

The ED had claimed its 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 Sachin Waze, then the assistant police inspector of Mumbai Police."

The NCP leader has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in these instances and his lawyers have called the ED action against him unjustified.

Deshmukh had said Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner.