Mumbai: Anil Deshmukh's private secretary moves HC against ED

Palande, an additional collector-rank official, also challenges the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, under which he has been booked; court sets hearing in the case on September 28

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Sanjeev Palande, private secretary of Maharashtra former home minister Anil Deshmukh, has filed a petition against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Bombay High Court.

In the petition, Palande has accused the ED of falsely implicating him in a case while taking action against Anil Deshmukh, and sought the cancellation of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) filed against him.

Palande, an additional collector-rank official, who was working as Deshmukh's personal secretary also challenged the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), under which he has been booked.

The petition said that the FIR registered by the ED was "politically motivated" and that the whole case is based on the vague allegations made by dismissed cop Sachin Waze, who has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a central agency.

Palande further alleged that he has been booked and arrested only "with an intention to create false evidence against the former home minister Anil Deshmukh and to disrupt the stability of the state of Maharashtra".

READ:Anil Deshmukh moves Bombay HC against ED summons in money laundering case

In his plea, Palande had also claimed that the ED has been acting "arbitrarily" and that he has not committed any offence and has been falsely implicated.

When the plea came up for hearing on Friday before a division bench of Justices S.S. Shinde and N.J. Jamadar, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the ED, sought time to respond to the plea. The court posted the matter for further hearing on September 28.

The ED had earlier launched an inquiry into Deshmukh and his associates after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lodged an FIR following a court inquiry.

On May 11, 2021, the ED had registered an ECIR against Deshmukh and his associates under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Palande was later arrested on June 26, 2021, and remanded in ED custody for 7 days and was then remanded in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh's lawyer Anand Daga and CBI Sub-Inspector (SI) Abhishek Tiwari will be produced in Rouse Avenue Court today at the end of their police custody remand in connection with a case relating to the illegal gratification for the leaking of some sensitive case files. On September 2, the court sent both to CBI custody for two days. Both were arrested on the night of September 1.

CBI had alleged that Daga allegedly tried to subvert the Bombay High Court's preliminary probe order against the ex-minister. It also alleged that Tiwari leaked documents as part of the conspiracy in return for a favour.

AGENCY INPUTS