Money laundering case: HC sends Deshmukh to ED custody

One-liner: The Bombay High Court on Sunday set aside a special court order remanding former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh to judicial custody, and sent him in the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody till Nov 12 in a money laundering case.

Serious ramifications: The ED, in its application said, the special court, by remanding Deshmukh to judicial custody, had denied the agency adequate opportunity to investigate a case that has "wide and serious ramifications".

• The agency said it could interrogate Deshmukh only for five days, of which two were holidays (Diwali)
• The HC, while remanding Deshmukh to the agency's custody, observed that prima facie (on the face of it) there was substance in the ED's application about the legality of the special court's order

Bad in law: A vacation bench was hearing an application filed by the ED, challenging the special court's order of Nov 6 remanding Deshmukh to 14-day judicial custody on the ground that it was bad in law and against the principles of natural justice.

NCP leader volunteers: Both Deshmukh's counsel and advocate told the court that while they were opposing the plea on merits and maintainability, the NCP leader has consented and volunteered to be interrogated by the ED.

• The HC then remanded Deshmukh to the ED's custody

Need to know: Deshmukh was arrested by the ED on Nov 1. After 12 hours of questioning, he was produced before a special holiday court on Nov 2 which remanded him to ED's custody till Nov 6.

• When he was produced before the special court on Saturday, the ED had sought further custody, but the court refused and sent him to judicial custody.

Cog in the wheel: The central agency, in its remand note submitted to the special court, had said the NCP leader emerged as an "important cog in the wheel" in the case, in which there has been an allegation of collection of ₹100Cr.

• Deshmukh had refuted these allegations earlier and said the agency's whole case was based on malicious statements made by a tainted cop

Source: PTI