Maharashtra ex-minister Deshmukh’s bail plea rejected in money-laundering case

This was Deshmukh’s first bail plea on merits. Previously, he had filed a plea seeking default bail claiming that the court had extended his judicial custody beyond the date of filing of the chargesheet. The court rejected his plea in January saying it was devoid of merits.

Special Judge RK Rokade pronounced the order. In his bail plea filed by Vikram Chaudhary and Aniket Nikam, it was submitted that there was no evidence to prove that he had instructed dismissed cop Sachin Waze to collect bribes from bar and restaurant owners. It was claimed that the ED had relied only on the statement of Waze, who the plea said had given a contradictory statement before the Justice K U Chandiwal Commission appointed to probe the allegations against the minister.

Deshmukh had also submitted that it was “preposterous to even assume that such a low-rank officer would have direct access to the home minister of the state surpassing all the hierarchy as claimed by Sachin Waze”. It was also submitted that Waze’s statement could not be relied on as he had been named in various criminal offences including in the Antilia terror scare case.

The 73-year-old minister had called himself a victim of gross prosecution and claimed he had been targeted because he became an eyesore for people with vested interests. The plea also said he suffered from various ailments and that considering his political and social background, he could not be considered a flight risk. He stated that the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act had been “reduced to an instrument of oppression”.

The ED opposed his bail saying he was an influential person and, if granted bail, might influence witnesses “owing to his strong financial power”. It also said Deshmukh had played a crucial role in Waze’s reinstatement by “pressurising” the then police commissioner, Param Bir Singh, and giving him instructions to give Waze the charge of an important unit in the Mumbai police’s crime branch. The ED said that Waze was, therefore “figuratively and literally indebted” to Deshmukh. Singh had led the review committee that in June 2020 reinstated Waze, 16 years after he was suspended in connection with the custodial death of Khwaja Yunus.

The ED also said that Deshmukh, by virtue of his position as home minister, would call dismissed cop Waze to his official residence and instruct him to collect funds from orchestra bars, restaurant owners and other establishments. The ED has claimed in its supplementary chargesheet filed against Deshmukh, his two sons and others that the former minister laundered Rs 13.25 crore and deposited it in the bank account of his family-controlled trust. It also claimed that Deshmukh had amassed huge wealth as a public servant and was unable to explain its source. The agency also said that with the inquiry in its initial stage, statements of various suspects were yet to be recorded and that they were avoiding appearance before it.