ED files money laundering case against ex-Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a criminal case under the anti-money laundering law against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, official sources said on Tuesday.

They said the case registered under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has been filed after studying a recent CBI FIR that was filed against Deshmukh.

The central probe agency may now summon Deshmukh for questioning apart from others, they said.

The ED case comes about after the CBI first carried out a preliminary inquiry, followed by filing a regular case, on the orders of the Bombay High Court that asked it to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The agency will probe if illicit funds were generated in the transfer and posting of police personnel in Maharashtra and if illegal extortion was done by the cops as alleged by Singh in his complaint.

The agency has powers to attach assets of the accused during the investigation stage and later file charge sheets against them before a PMLA court for trial.

The CBI booked Deshmukh and others under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to criminal conspiracy and section of Prevention of Corruption Act for “attempt to obtain undue advantage for the improper and dishonest performance of public duty”.