The hearing before single-judge resumed after the Supreme Court on Monday directed the High Court to take up the matter this week and dispose it of expeditiously.
Deshmukh and his associates are being investigated for alleged corruption and consequent laundering of those proceeds between 2019 and 2021.
Deshmukh filed for regular bail before the High Court in March 2022 after a special PMLA Court rejected his bail plea. In April 2022, ED filed its reply claiming Deshmukh had not been able to explain the source of huge wealth and proceeds of crime
During the 8 month pendency, Justices Revati Mohite Dere, PD Naik, Bharati Dangre and Prithviraj K Chavan of Bombay High Court recused themselves from hearing the former minister’s bail application.
During the hearing today before single-judge Justice NJ Jamadar, Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari and advocate Aniket Nikam appearing for Deshmukh, pointed out that the former minister has already spent 11 months in prison and the trial would take a long time.
Chaudhari contended that the maximum punishment for the offences charged against Deshmukh is 7 years and minimum punishment is 3 months and that Deshmukh had already undergone more than the minimum punishment.
Chaudhari pointed out that the allegations pertained to the conduct of Deshmukh, which formed part of the case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
“The entire accusation against me is on my conduct. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) looks into conduct, and hence they will investigate into corruption charges but laundering is with ED,” Chaudhari submitted.
Source: Barandbench
