The prosecution sanction comes amid the ongoing money laundering probe linked to the alleged ₹100-crore extortion case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has secured the Maharashtra Governor‘s sanction to prosecute former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the alleged ₹100-crore extortion case, marking a significant development in one of Maharashtra’s most high-profile political investigations.
The central agency informed a special PMLA court in Mumbai on Monday that Governor Jishnu Dev Varma granted approval for Deshmukh’s prosecution on May 21, paving the way for further legal proceedings.
Case stems from Param Bir Singh’s explosive allegations
The case traces its origins to March 2021, when then Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh wrote to then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that Deshmukh had instructed senior police officers to collect ₹100 crore every month from bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai.
The allegations triggered a political storm, following which the Bombay High Court ordered a preliminary CBI inquiry. Deshmukh denied all allegations but resigned as Maharashtra’s Home Minister soon after the court’s directive.
The ED subsequently launched its own money laundering investigation based on the CBI case.
Deshmukh seeks release of Chandiwal Commission report
The prosecution sanction comes months after Deshmukh urged Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to direct the state government to make public the findings of the Justice K.U. Chandiwal Commission, which was constituted to examine Param Bir Singh’s allegations.
In a letter to the Governor, Deshmukh claimed the commission submitted its 1,400-page report on April 26, 2022, but the state government has not released it even after more than four years.
He said he had written multiple letters to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other officials seeking publication of the report, arguing that its findings directly concern his legal and personal rights.
Calls for transparency
Deshmukh maintained that withholding the commission’s report undermines public confidence in the justice system.
He also sought details on the action taken by the Maharashtra government on the commission’s recommendations and questioned why the report had not been tabled before the state legislature.
The former minister requested the Governor to direct the state government to publish the complete report and explain the delay in making it public.
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