SC to hear Anil Deshmukh’s plea seeking protection in money laundering case on July 30

Supreme Court of India. File Pic

The Supreme Court on Monday posted for July 30 hearing a plea filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh seeking protection from "coercive action" in a money laundering case.

A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar adjourned the hearing of the matter today and said it would hear on Friday at 2 pm the plea of Deshmukh.

The apex court asked counsel of Deshmukh to give a copy of the petition to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the state of Maharashtra.

Deshmukh is being probed by the ED in a case of alleged extortion from orchestra bars in the state. ED had issued summons to the 71-year-old National Congress Paty (NCP) leader and his son Hrishikesh Deshmukh seeking their appearance.Deshmukh had skipped the previous summons by the agency to present himself.

The ED has alleged that Rs 4.7 crore collected from orchestra bars by dismissed cop Sachin Waze, allegedly on Deshmukh's instructions, was transferred to the former minister's Nagpur- based educational trust by his son, who routed it via two hawala operators and showed it as a donation.

Deshmukh is the president of the trust and his two sons, Salil and Hrishikesh, are trustees.

Also Read: Bombay HC refuses to quash CBI FIR on corruption charges against Anil Deshmukh

Earlier on June 25, the ED had raided Deshmukh's residences in Nagpur and Mumbai. Raids were conducted at five places.

After the raids, Deshmukh had said that former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh had made false allegations against him after he was removed from the post over his suspicious role.

The case against the former Home Minister was registered on May 11. Earlier in April, the CBI had conducted raids at four premises of Deshmukh after registering an FIR against him in connection with the case.

An FIR was filed based on Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and criminal conspiracy (IPC 120 B).

Param Bir Singh, in his letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had alleged that Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crores every month.

Waze was arrested in March in connection with the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) probe into the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.

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