Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra's Former Home Minister, Arrested In Money Laundering Case

Maharashtra's former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate after more than 12 hours of questioning at their office in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case.

Mr Deshmukh, who had stepped down earlier this year from his post amid a row over bribery allegations against him, was refused relief by the Bombay High Court on Friday as he appealed for the cancellation of the summons by the probe agency.

In a video statement on Monday, the 71-year-old NCP leader had said: "All allegations against me are false."

Mr Deshmukh was accused of corruption and extortion by Mumbai's ex top cop Param Bir Singh.

In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Param Bir Singh had accused Mr Deshmukh of interference and using the police to extort up to Rs 100 crore every month. He had written the letter days after being removed from his post over tardy progress in the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare matter under his watch.

Mr Deshmukh had said some "unforgivable" lapses had been revealed in the Mukesh Ambani security scare probe under the police chief.

Even as the NCP leader rubbished the allegations and threatened a defamation case over the bribery claims, the allegations triggered a huge political storm in the state amid calls for his resignation by the opposition leaders.

Now, the former top cop is also missing and a lookout notice has already been issued against him. He also faces allegations of extortion and several cases have been filed against him.

Mr Deshmukh on Monday slammed the former top cop: "Where is Param Bir Singh, who made allegations against me? Today the officers of Param Bir Singh's own department and several businessmen have filed their complaints against him."

On Sunday, the CBI made the first arrest in the bribery case linked to the former minister.