'Investigation Not Transparent': Anil Deshmukh Writes to ED

Deshmukh moved the Supreme Court on 4 July, claiming that the investigation against him is not transparent.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh.

(Photo: Altered by Eshwar Ranjana/The Quint)

Informing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of having moved the Supreme Court, challenging the ongoing investigation into corruption allegations against him, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in a letter to the probe agency on Monday, 5 July, said that the probe is "not transparent".

“A series of events has given rise to apprehensions in my mind that neither procedure of law is being followed nor any objective investigations are being carried out,” Deshmukh wrote.

Deshmukh moved the Supreme Court on 4 July, questioning the transparency of the investigation against him in the alleged money laundering case.

In the letter, Deshmukh also denied his presence to the third ED summons sent to him, stating that he had approached the apex court to ensure that probe is "within ambit of the procedure established by law” and asked ED to wait for his petition to be listed and heard.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh's lawyer Inderpal Singh arrived at ED’s office on Monday on his behalf.

What Deshmukh said in the Letter

Deshmukh also stated in his letter that the summons for 26 June had granted him the liberty to appear through authorised representatives.

For the second summons dated 28 June, calling upon Deshmukh in person on 29 June, he sent his legal representative, Singh, with a written request to supply him with a copy of Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR).

He added, "Insistence on personal appearance without even supplying me a copy of the ECIR or documents may strengthen my assertion that there is some kind of malice being nursed against me.”

Deshmukh has also responded to the statements made against him in the latest summons such as “adopted dilatory tactic" or "disregarded the summons" or "failed to appear" and said that these are not only misconceived but also reflect prejudicial bent of mind.

"A bare glance at the mentioned chronology of facts would not leave an iota of doubt that I have faithfully and diligently complied with all the summons," the letter added.

Furthermore, Deshmukh said, "I take this opportunity to reiterate my commitment to render unflinching cooperation...I have utmost respect for all institutions of law including yourself, who is bound to carry out his duty in a lawful manner."

Yet To Get a Copy of the ECIR: Deshmukh

In his letter, Deshmukh has also called the investigation against him unfair and claimed that he is yet to get a copy of ECIR filed by ED.

“It is my basic constitutional and fundamental right as a citizen to be subjected to fair, impartial, unprejudicial, unbiased objective and transparent investigations by following the procedure established by law. In the present circumstances, there is a justifiable bonafide apprehension as well as reasons to believe that the law of the land is being circumvented and the investigations being carried out are not fair.”

Anil Deshmukh's Letter to the ED

Earlier, Deshmukh had requested the ED to conduct his questioning through audio or video mode, citing health problems and the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency declined his request, saying the accused cannot dictate the manner of conducting the probe to an investigating body.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh's personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde, who had been taken in for interrogation by the ED on 25 June, were booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after nine hours of questioning.

The agency's probe into Deshmukh’s financial transactions is in accordance with the CBI probe into former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s allegations of corruption against the NCP leader.

The summons are in connection with a criminal case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) related to an alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket that led to Deshmukh's resignation in April this year.