ED attaches assets worth Rs 4.20 cr in money laundering case against Anil Deshmukh

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 4.20 crores belonging to former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and his family in connection with a money laundering case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 4.20 crores belonging to former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and his family in connection with a money laundering case. As per the official release, the attached assets include a residential flat of value Rs 1.54 crores at Mumbai's Worli, and 25 land parcels of Rs 2.67 crores at a Dhutum Villages in Uran of Maharashtra Raigarh district.

The ED had initiated money-laundering investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Deshmukh and others for "attempting to obtain undue advantage for the improper and dishonest performance of their public duty for collection of funds to achieve the target of Rs 100 crores per month from various bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai". "Investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) revealed that Anil Deshmukh while acting as Home Minister of State of Maharashtra, with dishonest intention has received illegal gratification of approximately Rs 4.70 crores in cash from various orchestra bar owners, through Sachin Waze, then Assistant Police Inspector of Mumbai Police," the release stated.

Deshmukh family, with the help of Delhi-based dummy companies, laundered the tainted money of Rs 4.18 crores and projected it as untainted by showing the same as amount received in the Trust namely Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha. The ED found that the attached residential flat at Worli was beneficially owned by Anil Deshmukh, and has been registered in the name of his wife Aarti Deshmukh. It was also found that the entire payment was made through cash in 2004, however, the sales deed was done in the month of February 2020 when Anil Deshmukh was Home Minister of State of Maharashtra.

"Deshmukh family has acquired the 50 per cent ownership in M/s Premier Port Links Pvt. Ltd. including its assets i.e. Land and shops totally valued at approximately Rs 5.34 crores (Book Value) by merely paying an amount of Rs 17.95 lakh, that too after a substantial gap," the release added. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)

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