Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) notice against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in a case of money laundering. The LOC bars Deshmukh from leaving the country. It also authorises the immigration officials at airports, ports and the country's road borders to detain him if he tries to move out of India.
Deshmukh has, so far, skipped all the summons issued by the ED asking him to join and co-operate in the investigation against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Also read: Corruption charge: CBI searches Deshmukh's properties
On March 25, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh who, he alleged, had asked police officers, including suspended cop Sachin Waze, to extort Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants.
Singh had initially approached the Supreme Court, alleging that he was transferred from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner after he complained to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders about the "corrupt malpractices" of Deshmukh. The apex court had termed the matter as quite serious but asked Singh to approach the high court. Singh then filed a PIL in the high court, reiterating his allegations against Deshmukh and seeking an "immediate, unbiased, impartial" probe by the CBI against the NCP leader.
The Maharashtra government is a coalition of the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress.
