Your summons do not clarify particular purpose of my personal appearance, he tells ED
Skipping the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the second time, Maharashtra’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh asked the probe agency to supply him the copy of Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) filed against him or the list of documents needed to be furnished and also to record his statement on audio-visual mode.
“Please note that your summons do not clarify the particular purpose of my personal appearance. I have learnt from media reports that you arrested two persona who were associated with me. Therefore, insistence of personal appearance without even supplying me a copy of ECIR or documents may strengthen my assertion that there is some kind of malice being nursed against me,” said his letter sent to the ED.
He clarified that he would furnish all necessary documents and information sought by the ED after the agency supplies the copy of ECIR. “I am septuagenarian about 72 years of age and suffering from various co-morbidities including hypertension and cardiac problems etc. I have already exposed my person to some extent on 25.06.2021 in my long interaction with you spanning over several hours during the course of search and recording of my statement,” he said, adding that thus it may not be prudent or desirable to appear in person today and I am sending my authorised representative.
“In any event, please note that I am at your disposal through any audio-visual mode of interaction at any time convenient to your goodself today or any other day and any time so convenient.”
Last week too, Mr Deshmukh’s lawyer sought details of the ECIR to furnish documents. Last week, after conducting searches at his Mumbai and Nagpur houses, the agency arrested his personal assistant Kundan Shinde and his former personal secretary Sanjeev Palande (a government employee with additional collector rank).
According to the ED sources, the agency is following a trail of ₹4 crore which is believed to be the money given to Mr. Deshmukh by 12 bar owners in Mumbai. The sources claim that the money was deposited in the accounts of shell companies and diverted to the accounts of establishments related to Mr. Deshmukh.
