Deshmukh money laundering case: ED questions Maha minister Parab for 8 hrs

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab for nearly eight hours here on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering case registered against former state minister Anil Deshmukh and others, an official said. The ED had on Saturday issued summons for the second time to Parab, 56, who also holds the parliamentary affairs portfolio in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, asking him to appear before the central agency. Accordingly, the Sena minister reached the ED office in the Ballard Estate area of south Mumbai around 11 am and was allowed to go at about 7 pm, the official said. After coming out of the ED office, Parab told reporters he had given answers of all questions asked by officials of the financial investigation agency. "I am responsible to the authority (probe agency) and not to any individual. Whatever the authority will ask me I will answer them," said Parab. "As per summons issued to me by the ED, I appeared before them and answered all the questions which were asked to me", he said without providing further details. There was heavy police deployment outside the ED office. Earlier in the day, Parab had said he was not aware why the ED has summoned him. "I am still unaware for what purpose they have called me. I swear by my daughters and late Shiv Sena supremo (Balasaheb Thackeray) that I have not done anything wrong," the minister said. The three-term Shiv Sena MLA was first summoned by the agency on August 31, but he declined to appear citing official engagements and had sought more time. Parab was summoned in the money laundering probe against former home minister Deshmukh after certain "disclosures" were made by other accused and those involved in the case, officials have said. The summons pertains to the criminal investigation being carried out by the ED in the alleged Rs 100-crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra police establishment that led to Deshmukh's resignation from the state cabinet in April. The ED case against Deshmukh, an NCP leader, and others came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked him in a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribe levelled by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh. Deshmukh, who has skipped the ED summons at least five times till now and moved court against the agency, has rejected all allegations against him. The NCP politician has said Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from the post of Mumbai police commissioner in March. Former police officer Sachin Waze, arrested by the NIA in the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai, has also levelled certain allegations against Parab. Waze had earlier alleged in a letter, which he sought to submit before a court, that in January 2021, Parab asked him to carry out an inquiry against "fraudulent" contractors listed in the Mumbai civic body and "collect" at least Rs 2 crore from about 50 such contractors. Parab had then rejected Waze's claims and said he was ready to face any probe into the allegations.