ED attaches Anil Deshmukh’s assets worth Rs 4.2 crore

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing a money laundering case against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh provisionally attached assets worth Rs 4.20 crore, the agency said.

Among the attached immovable assets was a residential flat valued at Rs 1.54 crore, located at Worli, Mumbai, and 25 land parcels of book value Rs 2.67 crore at Dhutum village in Uran, Raigarh district of Maharashtra. According to the agency, these assets are held in the name of Deshmukh’s wife Aarti and a company Premier Port Links Private Limited. His son, Salil was a director of the firm between January 2006 and August 2012. Meanwhile, the agency has sent fresh summons to Aarti to join the probe after the latter skipped earlier summons.

ED initiated the money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Deshmukh and others. It alleged for allege improper and dishonest performance of their public duty for collection of funds to achieve the target of Rs 100 crore per month from various bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai, the FIR states. .“Deshmukh while acting as home minister of State of Maharashtra, with dishonest intention received illegal gratification of approximately Rs 4.70 crore in cash from various orchestra bar owners, through Sachin Waze, then Assistant Police Inspector of Mumbai Police...” the ED said in a statement.