[Money laundering case] Anil Deshmukh wanted Arnab Goswami arrested: Sachin Waze to ED

Dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that then Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh wanted Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami arrested in the Television Rating Points (TRP) scam case..Waze said that Deshmukh had ensured that Waze gets reinstated into the police force in order to carry out extortion activities and also report to him for various cases including the TRP scam case.Waze submitted that after his reinstatement, for which he was asked to shell out ₹2 crores, Deshmukh used to call him at his office or residence to instruct him directly about various cases including the TRP scam case, Arnab Goswami arrest in suicide case, Dilip Chhabria case, social media fake follower case."In TRP case Shri Anil Deshmukh wanted to arrest Arnab Goswami. In Dilip Chhabria Case Shri Anil Deshmukh wanted me to get some kind of settlement with his partner of approx. Rs.150 crore. In Social Media Fake follower case he wanted to have all-out action against the culprits." Waze elaborated..Waze's statement to the Assistant Director of ED was made in the ongoing probe into the money laundering case which has been initiated against Deshmukh and his associates.ED initiated the probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR following a Court-directed enquiry into allegations of corruption and misuse of his official position.It was ED's case that while Deshmukh was the Home Minister, he misused his position by directing dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze to collect money to the tune of ₹4.7 crore from various restaurants and bars in Mumbai.It was claimed that Deshmukh had laundered the extorted money to a Nagpur-based trust which was controlled by his family members. .Details of Waze's statement.Waze further stated that the then Commissioner of Mumbai Police Param Bir Singh had issued an order for postings of 10 DCPs which was strongly opposed by Deshmukh and Transport Minister Anil Parab. They allegedly got the order reversed and in that adjustment they made money to the tune of ₹40 crores from police officers. "Out of it, ₹20 crore each was given to Anil Deshmukh through Personal Secretary Sanjeev Palande and Anil Parab through Regional Transport Officer Bajrang Karmate," Waze claimed. .The statement further elaborated how Waze extorted money from various bars across Mumbai. He claimed to have given a list of 1,750 bars and restaurants from whom he collected approximately ₹ 3 lakh per establishment. Waze claimed to have handed over ₹4 crore 70 lakhs to Deshmukh between December 2020 and February 2021..Waze was also questioned on a statement given by a bar owner who claimed Waze had informed him that the money was being collected for "No.1" When asked to clarify who Waze referred to, he clarified that it was "No. 1 as referred to is Shri Anil Deshmukh.”.Details of prosecution complaint filed by ED.ED filed a 77-page complaint against 14 accused in the money laundering. They however did not include Deshmukh as an accused, as he had not appeared before them yet for recording of his statement. They prayed for more time to inspect the role of other suspects including family members of Deshmukh..The accused in the complaint are Waze, Palande, Deshmukh's personal assistant Kundan Shinde, brothers Surendra Jain and Virendra Jain, owners of some of the companies, Deshmukh's family owned trust Sai Shikshan Sanstha, and alleged shell companies Reliable Finance Corporation Pvt Ltd, VA Realcon Pvt Ltd, Utsav Securities Pvt Ltd, SITAL Leasing and Finance Pvt Ltd, Kishore Diwani, Premium Port Link, along with chartered accountants Vinod Hassani and Vishal Khatwani..Waze was an accused in connection to the alleged money laundering of bribe collected from bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai.ED claimed that Deshmukh and Waze conspired in the "whole racket of extortion of collection of Rs 100 crore a month” from various establishments..ED submitted that the money collected was laundered through a complex web of companies. They claimed in all there are 27 companies directly and indirectly linked to Deshmukh and his family or associates..One of the accused Palande alleged that transport minister Parab had an “unofficial list” of police officers who were to be posted at specific locations. The list was then allegedly handed over to Deshmukh who placed it before the Police Establishment Board to decide on police transfers. Palande claimed that Parab was involved with regards to postings of officers of ACP rank which was then forwarded to Deshmukh. "The list was unofficial and there would be no record maintained in the Home Minister’s office,” Palande claimed.