Money laundering probe: ED searches 2 homes of ex-Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh
Nagpur: The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at two residences of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in Nagpur district on Sunday as part of a probe into a money laundering case, a police official said.
Two separate teams of the ED searched Deshmukh's house in Katol town, located about 60 km from here, and his ancestral home at Wadvihira village near Katol, he said.
The searches started at around 6 am, he said.
The official said the search is still on at the Katol premises of Deshmukh, while the search at Wadvihira concluded around 12 noon.
The ED is conducting a probe into the money laundering case related to an alleged multi-crore bribery-cum-extortion racket that led to Deshmukh's resignation from the post of home minister in April this year.
The central agency recently arrested Deshmukh's personal secretary Sanjeev Palande (51) and personal assistant Kundan Shinde (45) after it carried out raids against them and the NCP leader in Mumbai and Nagpur.
Deshmukh had earlier skipped ED's summons for questioning in the case.
The ED's case against Deshmukh and others was made out after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) first carried out a preliminary enquiry followed by a regular case being filed on the orders of the Bombay High Court.
The court had asked the CBI to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Deshmukh, who resigned as the state home minister in April following the allegations, has denied any wrongdoing.
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Country witnessing storm of change: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): As polling began in 49 constituencies for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said it has become clear that people have stood up to protect the Constitution and democracy and the country is witnessing a storm of change.
Voting is being held in 49 constituencies in six states and two union territories in the fifth phase, which will decide the electoral fate of several prominent leaders like Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "Today is the fifth phase of voting! In the first four phases itself, it has become clear that people have stood up to protect the Constitution and democracy and are defeating the BJP."
"This country is fed up with the politics of hatred and is now voting on its own issues. Youths for jobs, farmers for MSP and freedom from debt, women for economic independence and security, and labourers for fair wages.
"The people are fighting this election along with INDIA (bloc) and there is a storm of change in the country," the former Congress president said.
"I am appealing to the entire country, including Amethi and Rae Bareli, come out and vote in large numbers for the prosperity of your families, for your own rights and for the progress of India," Gandhi said.
