SC denies interim protection to Deshmukh in money laundering case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant interim relief to former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh who was seeking protection from any coercive action in connection with a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.

“We are not inclined to grant any interim relief. The petitioner is at liberty to seek other remedies available to him under the Code of Criminal Procedure,” the bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Krishna Murari and V Ramasubramanian said.

Deshmukh and his son Hrishikesh are yet to respond to three summons issued by the central agency.

The ED had registered the case earlier this year following a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into allegations of a bribery-cum-extortion racket operated by the former minister.

In their plea filed through advocate Avadh Bihari Kaushik, the duo had sought an order of “no coercive action” as it challenged the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.

Appearing for the ED, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said: “There are serious allegations of money laundering against him (Deshmukh). He was found to be operating 13 shell companies. These are in addition to 11 firms related to Deshmukh’s family which are already under probe. He has much to answer before the Special Judge, PMLA.”

Deshmukh’s counsel and senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, however, told the bench that this is a classic case of “political witch-hunt”.

“I stand on equal footing with all other matters where the Court has protected accused facing ED charges.”