ED to court: Deshmukh entered into deals through web of cos

A few hours after the post-midnight arrest of former state home minister Anil Deshmukh (72), the Enforcement Directorate produced him before a special holiday court on Tuesday, stating he was the key person in the Rs 100 crore money laundering case and the agency needed to investigate a “foreign angle” in the case apart from establishing the money trail. The court remanded Deshmukh (72) in ED custody till November 6.

- Vijay V Singh and Rebecca Samervel

Mumbai:

The ED said Deshmukh has emerged as “the important cog in the wheel” and that he was the “prime beneficiary of the proceeds of crime.” The ED said his sustained interrogation is required to get to the bottom of nefarious deals entered into by the accused through a complex web of companies.

Deshmukh, dressed in a white kurta pyjama, was produced in court at 12.30 pm.

Opposing Deshmukh’s custody, his lawyer Vikram Choudhari told the court his client’s shoulder is dislocated and he needs constant support. He said Deshmukh had recovered from Covid in February, has a heart ailment, and is suffering from hypertension. The court allowed his plea for home food and medicine during ED custody, advocate Aniket Nikam said. They denied Deshmukh had not co-operated with investigations.

The ED’s remand said that with help of close associates, the Deshmukh family was indirectly controlling and managing business activities in various companies and laundering money by creating a complex web of transactions.