[Anil Deshmukh money laundering case] Mumbai Court extends ED custody till November 15

A Mumbai court on Saturday extended the custody of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh with the Enforcemearvnt Directorate (ED) till November 15 in relation to the money laundering case against him..Advocates Shreeram Shirsat with Arvind Aghav appearing for Enforcement Directorate sought for extension of Deshmukh's custody.Shirsat stated that ED had moved an application before the Magistrate Court for recording dismissed cop Sachin Waze's statement. However that application had been rejected considering Waze was in custody of Mumbai police and the court did not want another agency to intervene in that investigation, he apprised the Court.Waze an accused in ED's case had not been arrested so far. His statement had been recorded by ED at Taloja jail a few months back. They wanted to record another statement and then confront Deshmukh with the recorded statement of Waze.Shirsat submitted that Deshmukh had been evasive during questioning. On the transfer posting issue, further statement of Deshmukh has to be recorded.He pointed out that a private person who did some "prestigious projects" had been regularly visiting Deshmukh's official residence had to be interrogated and some key witnesses had to be confronted. He prayed for 3 more days to ensure that the investigation is carried to the fullest. .Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari with Advocate Aniket Nikam appearing for Deshmukh submitted that they had consented to ED custody during the hearing before Bombay High Court of the appeal challenging grant of judicial custody. He argued that there was no reason to remand Deshmukh for further custody, especially when the Sessions Court had already rejected the previous application for extension of custody.He argued that Deshmukh had already been available for custodial interrogation from November 8 to 12. He stated that in a complaint where there are 14 people only 3 persons had been arrested so far - Deshmukh and his two secretaries. "Only 3 people had been arrested so far. Deshmukh's secretaries were bad people, so they are arrested. I am the worst so I am arrested. but Waze has a halo around his head, so he is not arrested, even though he is an accused on paper." Chaudhari argued. He also mused as to why senior IPS officer Param Bir Singh had not been summoned in the case, despite having three non-bailable warrants issued against him. He concluded stating that despite being prime accused in the case, Waze was being treated differently than Deshmukh by ED. .The former Minister told the Judge that he had been in ED custody for 10 days with 7-8 hours of questioning everyday. He also submitted an application retracting any statement that may have been self-incriminatory. "Every attempt is being made to confuse and impair my thinking process knowing fully well that my body may not be able to take 9-10 hours of constant stress everyday. I never evaded any answers and have always rendered full co-operation", Deshmukh said. .ED had initiated probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a first information report (FIR) following a court-directed enquiry into allegations of corruption and misuse of his official position.ED had issued five summons to Deshmukh, to which he responded seeking permission to attend the questioning through his authorised representatives. Deshmukh had not complied with any of the summons..Simultaneously, Deshmukh had challenged the summons before the Bombay High Court which dismissed his petition directing him to take appropriate steps to approach the Courts for anticipatory bail.Deshmukh appeared before the ED officials on Monday, November 1. After interrogation for about 12 hours, Deshmukh was arrested post midnight on Tuesday. The Mumbai court had then allowed ED custody of Deshmukh till November 6, 2021. .The plea for extension of custody was however, turned down and Deshmukh was remanded to judicial custody of 14 days. This order was set aside by the Bombay High Court through a special Sunday sitting after ED challenged the same. High Court remanded Deshmukh to ED custody till November 12, which was extended by the Additional Sessions Judge HS Satbhai today.