Mumbai/IBNS: Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh who was arrested in connection with money laundering case has been sent to a 14-day judicial custody, media reports said.
A Mumbai court on Friday rejected the Enforcement Directorate's request to extend his custody with them for interrogation and sent Deshmukh to judicial custody, paving the way for Deshmukh to apply for bail.
The ED contended that the former minister was not cooperating with them in interrogation over allegations that he and his family used some 27 firms to launder tainted money.
His son Hrishikesh, was summoned on Friday in connection with the case but he skipped the call by the agency. Fresh summons will be issued on Monday, sources added, reported NDTV.
Earlier this week, Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate after over 12 hours of questioning at the agency's office in Mumbai.
On Friday, the Bombay High Court rejected his petition for the cancellation of the summons by the probe agency.
Deshmukh was forced to step down from his post over allegations of bribery against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Param Bir Singh had accused Deshmukh of interference and using the police to extort up to Rs 100 crore every month.
He had written the letter days after being removed as the top cop of Mumbai with Deshmukh saying that some "unforgivable" lapses had been revealed in the Mukesh Ambani security scare probe under him.
The NCP leader refuted the allegations and threatened a defamation case over the bribery claims.
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