Mumbai Court Issues Process Against Anil Deshmukh For Non-Compliance Of ED Summons In PMLA Case

A local court in Mumbai has issued process against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate regarding the NCP leader's failure to appear before the agency despite repeated summons. Deshmukh is directed to appear before the court on November 16. "Prima facie case is made out," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate RM Nirlekar said, noting that ED's summons has been received by Deshmukh, his daughter or advocate on his behalf. ED sought action against Deshmukh in an application under Section 174 of the IPC which deals with non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant. The agency, investigating a money laundering case connected to the alleged extortion from bar & restaurant owners, has so far issued 5 summons to Deshmukh asking him to appear before the agency. If found guilty under Section 174, Deshmukh may face up to a month in prison or be fined. In separate proceedings before the High Court, Deshmukh has sought stay and quashing of ED summons. He has also sought the constitution of an SIT of ED officers from outside Mumbai to investigate the matter and for his statement to be recorded virtually, among other reliefs. The money laundering case is based on the CBI's corruption FIR against Deshmukh wherein Ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh alleged that Deshmukh had asked Waze and two other officers to illegally collect Rs. 100 crore from bar owners every month for him. The ED has filed a prosecution complaint, equivalent to a charge sheet, against 14 people including dismissed cop Sachin Waze and two of Deshmukh's associates. Anil Deshmukh is not named as an accused in the ED case as yet. The agency has cited his non-appearance despite 5 summons. Earlier this month the Supreme Court refused Deshmukh interim protection against coercive steps by the ED and asked him to approach the appropriate court under the CrPC instead. The agency claims to have established a money trail wherein dismissed cop Sachin Waze collected Rs 4.7 crore from bar owners and handed the money over to Deshmukh's arrested PA Kundan Shinde. ED further states that the money was eventually laundered through shell companies abroad by Deshmukh's son Hrishikesh and put into Deshmukh's educational trust in Nagpur.

Mumbai Court Issues Process Against Anil Deshmukh For Non-Compliance Of ED Summons In PMLA Case

Sharmeen Hakim

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