On Tuesday, ex-Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh declined to physically appear before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged money laundering case. In a letter to the ED, Deshmukh said he won’t appear at the agency’s office for questioning until he is provided with a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and a list of documents.
He also categorically denied the allegations levelled against him as hollow, false, and with a lack of substance. Submitting a letter to ED via his representative Advocate Inderpal Singh Anil Deshmukh requested for ECIR copy to furnish and to record his statement via audio-video mode.
Deshmukh said he would furnish all information and documents sought by the ED after the agency gives him a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) filed by it in the case. He also said the ED summons “do not clarify” the purpose of his personal appearance.
Deshmukh’s advocate told The Daily Guardian, “We have requested ED to give us one week time to produce documents and we are following due process of law. We are cooperating with investigating agency and they are satisfied that we are cooperating with them and there is communication. He has not appeared because he has no sufficient documents, he has a right to defend himself.”
Deshmukh was earlier asked to depose before the investigating officer at the ED’s office on Saturday for questioning which he skipped citing health reasons. Subsequently, the ED issued fresh summons asking him to appear at 11 am on Tuesday.
Deshmukh’s private secretary Sanjeev Palande and private assistant Kundan Shinde were arrested by the ED in connection with the case. The agency, in its remand application for the two arrested officials, said over Rs 4 crore collected from bar owners between December 2020 and February 2021 was routed to Anil Deshmukh’s charitable trust in Nagpur, through four shell companies in Delhi.Deshmukh had quit his post after former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh wrote a letter to Chief Minister Thackeray levelling allegations of corruption against him.