Bombay HC refuses to quash ED summons issued to Anil Deshmukh

The Bombay High Court on Friday rejected the plea by filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, seeking quashing of summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), asking him to appear before it in connection with a case of alleged money laundering and corruption.

The high court said that Deshmukh had failed to make a case for quashing of such summons.

It further said that the former minister's plea did not merit an order to the ED and the CBI, restraining them from taking any coercive action against him.

The court, however, said that Deshmukh, like any other common litigant had a right to approach the appropriate court seeking relief if he apprehended his arrest in the case.

The court also directed the ED to permit Deshmukh's lawyer to remain present within "visible distance but not audible distance" at the central agency's office during Deshmukh's questioning.

The ED had begun a probe against Deshmukh and others, and summoned him for questioning after the CBI filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

The CBI FIR was registered following a preliminary inquiry into the allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.