Money laundering case: Ex-Maha minister Deshmukh's aide says his arrest 'gross abuse' of law, seeks bail

Anil Deshmukh

Kundan Shinde, an aide of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, on Thursday moved a bail application in a special court here, claiming his arrest in a money laundering case and continued incarceration was "gross abuse" of the process of law.

The court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the case, to file its response to Shinde's bail plea on November 1.

Shinde, who worked as a personal assistant (PA) of Deshmukh when the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was state home minister, was arrested in June last year by the ED for his alleged role in the money laundering case.

The other accused in the case include Deshmukh (71) and dismissed assistant police inspector Sachin Waze.

In the bail application, filed through advocate Inderpal Singh, Shinde said his arrest and continued incarceration was "gross abuse" of the process of law and denied allegations levelled against him.

Also read: SC refuses to interfere with bail to Anil Deshmukh in money laundering case

"It reflects the apathy and insensitivity with which the premier investigating agency has reduced its process to an instrument of oppression for oblique motives," the plea said.

Further, the application stated that there is absolutely no material available on record against the accused as apart from "wild, vague and unsubstantiated allegations" leveled by Waze, no material exists to even remotely associate the applicant (Shinde) with the knowledge about commission of any offence by his co-accused.

The ED has claimed Waze, in his statement, stated Deshmukh introduced him to Shinde during a meeting at the then-home minister's official residence in Mumbai.

Waze had also disclosed the manner in which he collected Rs 4.7 crore between December 2020 and February 2021 from bars and restaurants in Mumbai at the behest of Deshmukh, adding the amount was handed over to Shinde, then his PA, on multiple occasions, according to the central agency.

However, Shinde, in his bail application, alleged conspiracy against him.

Therefore, it would be imperative to rely on circumstances and evidence of sterling quality as well as of unimpeachable character that may implicate the applicant.

None of such circumstances or materials exist, said the application.

The plea questioned the credibility of Waze, who is currently in jail in another case, and statements given by him.

His statements made before the ED are wholly ¿unreliable and have no creditworthiness whatsoever¿, the applicant said while seeking relief.

The ED's case is that Deshmukh, while serving as home minister, misused his official position and collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai through Waze, who was then an assistant police inspector.

The money was allegedly laundered through the Nagpur-based Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha, an education trust controlled by Deshmukh's family.

The NCP leader has refuted the allegations levelled against him and claimed the ED's case was solely based on "malicious" statements given by Waze to the anti-money laundering agency.

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to the veteran politician in the case.

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