Bombay HC stays Anil Deshmukh's bail in money laundering case till Oct 13

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesda stayed bail granted to former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, in a money laundering case till October 13. The bail has been granted on a surety amount of Rs 1 lakh. Notably, bail has been granted in the ED case, but the former minister will remain in jail in connection with the CBI case registered against him despite the bail.

Deshmukh was arrested in November 2021 and approached the high court after a special PMLA court rejected his bail application earlier this year. ar. He was in judicial custody till now. The order was pronounced by Justice N J Jamadar.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the HC to hear and decide the NCP leader's plea expeditiously as it was pending for six months.

Deshmukh’s lawyers Vikram Chaudhari and Aniket Nikam argued in HC that the former minister should be granted bail on the grounds of health and the fact that he had no criminal antecedents should be considered considering his age. The NCP leader is 72.

On the other hand, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who appeared on ED’s behalf, opposed the application arguing that Deshmukh did not suffer from any ailments that cannot be treated at the jail hospital.

CBI case against Anil Deshmukh

Deshmukh was also booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case against him following allegations made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The ED claimed that Deshmukh misused his official position and collected Rs 4.7 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai. The ill-gotten money was channelled to Nagpur-based Shri Sai Shikshan Sansthan, an educational trust controlled by his family, it alleged.