Former Maharashtra Home Minister and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party Anil Deshmukh was on Tuesday granted bail by the Bombay High Court in a case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The order was passed by the Single-Judge Bench of Justice N.J. Jamadar, stating that the bail order will come into effect from October 13.
The High Court gave liberty to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had filed a case against Deshmukh, to challenge it’s order in the Supreme Court.
As per the High Court, the first two components of credit in the Trust did not form the proceeds of crime. As for the third component, the statement of dismissed Assistant Police Inspector of Mumbai Sachin Waze fell in the favour of Deshmukh.
Besides, Justice Jamadar gave the applicant benefit under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
However, the NCP leader will remain in the judicial custody at Arthur Road prison since he was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also in a corruption case.
CBI had booked Deshmukh and others on the basis of a complaint filed by Advocate Dr. Jaishri Patil, alleging them of indulging in corrupt practices during the period between 2019 and 2021.
The probe followed the directions issued by the Bombay High Court on April 5, 2021, while hearing the petition of former Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Param Bir Singh.
The ED then initiated money laundering proceedings against the former Minister on the basis of CBI’s FIR. Deshmukh was arrested by ED in November, 2021.
The NCP leader was sent to ED custody till November 15. He was later remanded to the judicial custody, where he remains till date.
Deshmukh was represented by Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari with Advocate Aniket Nikam, while Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, along with Advocates Aditya Thakker, Shreeram Shirsat and Amandeep Sra, appeared for ED.