Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has reserved its judgment on the bail plea of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh arrested in a money laundering case. Referring to Deshmukh’s move to head to the Supreme Court every time there was a delay in the hearing of his bail plea, Justice N J Jamadar told Deshmukh’s lawyer Vikram Chaudhari that the plea could have been mentioned in Bombay High Court for an early hearing, according to media reports.
Chaudhari explained, “We came to know of the matter being assigned on Sept 21 and the matter was listed before the Supreme Court on Sept 23, so there was nothing that we could really do. I must express if there was some kind of grievance it was against the ED officers who took long adjournments. The intention was to get interim bail.”
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29 April 2025
The reports further said that the Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, arguing against the bail application of Deshmukh, submitted that the administrative order was passed on September 12 assigning Deshmukh’s bail plea to Justice Jamadar’s bench. “And they ought to have mentioned the matter. The contentions submitted in the Supreme Court by them were very incriminating against the agency and the court,” said Singh.
Singh argued against Deshmukh’s bail plea for over four hours when he pointed to the two main accusations against Deshmukh: One, asking dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze to extort money from bars and restaurants across Mumbai. And, second, for misusing his office by which transfer postings were given to policemen of their choice in lieu of large sums of money.
Singh pointed out that Deshmukh’s Personal Secretary Sanjeev Palande, the then Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Sitaram Kunthe and Deshmukh’s own OSD at that time, Ravi Vhatkar, had confirmed that the Minister used to make a list of transfers that would be disclosed at the Police Establishment Board meeting, the reports stated.
Singh said that the court will have to consider the rigours of the twin conditions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and record that Deshmukh is not involved in money laundering if he is to be granted bail. “Economic offence is serious and it affects the financial strength of the country. So the court will have to say that the accused is not at all involved. From the material that has been put up before the court, it can be said that a case has not been made out,” Singh said.
Chaudhari argued that Deshmukh needs “shoulder surgery and the twin conditions melt down for a sick person. The evidence is not of sterling quality. There are many dents.”
However, Singh said, “He does not have any illness that cannot be treated by a hospital attached to the prison. It is not his case that, as and when required, we have not taken him to hospital. Nowadays, everyone has age-related problems and there are many such inmates in jail, but the court will have to consider if that can be a ground for bail.”
Chaudhari said, “The ED is a very interesting department. Their investigation is unending. Whenever someone points to gaps in their case, they fill up the gaps by recording statements.”
After hearing the arguments at length, Justice Jamadar said, “Will close it and will try to deliver judgment as soon as possible.”
