Mumbai, Nov 1 (UNI) Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here for questioning in a money laundering case.

Prior to appearing before the ED, the NCP leader held a press conference, where he alleged that former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who had levelled allegations against him, was himself absconding.

The ED sources said the agency will record the statement of the 71-year-old leader under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra Police establishment.

The former home minister had to resign in April, after Param Bir Singh accused him of spreading corruption in the state Police department. In the recent past, Deshmukh had skipped more than four summons issued by the ED in the case but after the Bombay High Court last week refused to quash these summons, he appeared before the agency.

The ED had booked Deshmukh and others under the PMLA Act after CBI filed a case against Deshmukh on the basis of allegations of bribe made by the former Mumbai CP.

UNI ST RJ