Advocate Jayshri Patil on Wednesday recorded her statement before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in connection with the money laundering case registered by the central agency against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and others. Patil also submitted documentary evidence to the agency which will be examined, sources said. The agency had summoned Patil on Tuesday for enquiry.
Patil arrived at the ED office at 11 am, where a deputy director rank officer made enquiries with her which lasted for four hours.
"Advocate Patil had submitted some documentary evidence to the ED official and had also informed them about names of the victims. She also took names of some of the politicians which she claimed were involved in money laundering," said a source.
Patil had earlier filed a PIL in the High Court seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh. The Bombay High Court on April 5 had ordered the CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the allegations levelled against Deshmukh, and to submit a report within 15 days. On April 24, the CBI had registered an FIR against Deshmukh and others under corruption charges.
On May 11, ED had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in Mumbai against Deshmukh based on the FIR filed by the CBI.
The agency sources claimed that searches could be conducted in connection with the case in coming days and summons could be issued to Deshmukh and others related with the case and their statements will be recorded by ED soon.
In March, former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, in his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had claimed and alleged that, "Sachin Vaze who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police was called by Deshmukh, to his official residence Dyaneshwar several times in last few months and repeatedly instructed to assist in collection of funds for the Home Minister.”
In and around mid-February and thereafter, the Home Minister had called Vaze to his official residence. At that time, one or two staff members of the Home Minister including his Personal Secretary, Mr. Palande, were also present. The Home Minister expressed to Vaze that he had a target to accumulate Rs 100 crores a month from bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai, Param Bir Singh had further alleged.
Later Param Bir Singh had moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, but the court had asked him to move the Bombay High Court. While the Bombay High Court dismissed Param Bir Singh’s petition, it took into consideration a PIL filed by advocate Jayshri Patil.
CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry the next day, and had started its enquiry. But Deshmukh had denied all the allegations made by Singh, and moved the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court’s order. The state of Maharashtra too had moved the Supreme Court, but Supreme Court did not give any relief to either Deshmukh or the state.
Following this, a team of CBI officials had recorded the statements of Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Enforcement) Raju Bhujbal, ACP Sanjay Patil and Vaze in connection with the allegations.
The probe team had also recorded the statement of advocate Jayshri Patil, who had also approached the court seeking probe into Singh’s allegations.
The agency had also recorded statements of a Kandivali bar owner and two drivers of Vaze.
