A lawyer representing former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh told the Bombay High Court on Monday that his client was falsely implicated in a money laundering case and “number one”, on whose directions the alleged extortion was committed. The amount was collected, East was Mumbai. Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who has now become the “blue-eyed boy” of the agencies and witnesses in the case.
Deshmukh’s counsel, arguing his bail plea in a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), also pointed out that sacked police officer Sachin Vaze, who is being made a government witness in the case, would be released soon, Deshmukh, who is suffering from multiple ailments and was arrested with “malicious” intent, has been in jail for more than nine months.
He said the statement of Waze, on the basis of which Deshmukh has been implicated by the agencies, cannot be relied upon as the former cop is accused in seven to eight other cases including murder charges, adding that there is credibility in his statements. is lacking. Assured that he would cooperate in the investigation, Deshmukh said that since the trial in the ED case is not likely to begin in the near future, he should be released on bail.
A single-judge bench of Justice NJ Jamadar began hearing the bail plea of Deshmukh, who in March moved the high court after his plea was rejected by the Special PMLA Court, which said prima facie to point out that Evidence that he exercised “undue influence” on transfers. and posting of police officers.
The High Court will next hear Deshmukh’s bail plea on July 19.
In his bail plea, filed through advocates Aniket Nikam and Inderpal Singh, Deshmukh said the Center and the state were at a crossroads, adding that Singh was clearly heating up the central agencies and thus “clearly a The red carpet has been welcomed and a safe one. way.”
On Monday, senior advocate Vikram Choudhary, representing Deshmukh, said his 72-year-old client is suffering from various ailments, including lung and spinal disorders, and it is “taking a toll on him.”
“He is a sick and old man … Trials are unlikely to start in the near future. He should be released on bail and he is ready to cooperate with the investigation.”
Choudhary cited the statements of the bar owners under Section 164 of CrPC, from whom the amount of extortion was allegedly sought, and said that he claimed that Vaze had introduced him to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sanjay Patil, And said that Rashi would go to “number one”, which was none other than CP Singh of Mumbai. He insisted that the bar owners have not met any politician regarding the matter.
Deshmukh’s counsel said it had become clear from the statements made before the magistrate court by Patil, various bar owners and officials in the extortion case, that the “number one” on whose directions the alleged amount was collected by Waze was Singh. Were.
Further, Deshmukh said Singh’s information, on the basis of which the central agencies had initiated investigation, was a rumour.
“… ‘number one’ is actually a blue-eyed boy (of the agencies) and now a witness, while Waze has become a government witness and my client is in custody. Time will tell who actually did what in the present case ,” said Chaudhary.
He further argued, “… Deshmukh was holding a political position and there was politics involved (in framing him). The agency failed to show sufficient material against Deshmukh. There is malpractice in the law.”
Choudhary said there is no consistency in the claims of agencies related to the amount being extorted and it ranges from Rs 100 crore to Rs 1 crore, adding that it was only based on estimates.
The ED, in its reply, through its affidavit, had told the high court that Deshmukh was the “mastermind and mind” in the case and misused his official position to create unaccounted wealth.