The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches on five premises linked to former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in Mumbai and Nagpur in connection with a money laundering case.
The premises of Mr. Deshmukh's chartered accountant was also searched. His private secretary was later taken to the ED’s Mumbai office for examination.
In April, the CBI carried out searches in Mumbai and Nagpur after registering a corruption case against Mr. Deshmukh and others.
The case — alleging attempt to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty — was instituted following a preliminary inquiry initiated on the directions of the Bombay High Court on April 5.
An inquiry revealed that now dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze had been reinstated into the police force after being out of service for over 15 years. He was entrusted with most of the important cases of the Mumbai City Police and the then Home Minister was in the know of these facts, as alleged by the CBI.
Param Bir Singh’s charge
The petition of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in the High Court also alleged that the then Home Minister and others exercised undue influence over the transfer and posting of police officers.
Earlier, it was alleged that some police officers had been told to collect ₹100 crore every month from bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
Mr. Deshmukh, who has refuted the charges, had resigned from the post following the High Court order for a CBI inquiry.