Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday moved a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in their ongoing money-laundering probe.
Earlier on August 18, Deshmukh's lawyer Inderpal Singh had submitted an application for exemption to appear before ED in the case.
Speaking to the media, Singh said "We asked ED to wait until our case is heard at the SC. We have told ED, in our letter, that we will appear before them after the Supreme Court order comes. Supreme Court has given us the liberty to exercise other remedies under CRPC as per the order so we will soon approach the appropriate court."
"When our petition is still pending in Supreme Court why ED is serving summons to us. We are cooperating with the agency," he added.
Recently, the Supreme Court declined to grant interim relief to Deshmukh who is seeking protection from 'coercive action' in the money laundering case.
Deshmukh is being probed by the ED in a case of alleged extortion from orchestra bars in the state. The ED had issued summons to the 71-year-old NCP leader and his son Hrishikesh Deshmukh seeking their appearance.
Deshmukh had skipped the previous summons by the agency to present himself.
The ED has alleged that Rs 4.7 crore collected from orchestra bars by dismissed cop Sachin Waze, allegedly on Deshmukh's instructions, was transferred to the former minister's Nagpur- based educational trust by his son, who routed it via two hawala operators and showed it as a donation.
( With inputs from ANI )
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