There are two separate proceedings against Deshmukh arising from the same allegations – one by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the offence of money laundering and the other by the CBI for offences under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
Deshmukh and his associates are being investigated for alleged corruption that took place between 2019 and 2021. Based on the findings of a preliminary investigation into a complaint by advocate Dr Jaishri Patil, the CBI booked Deshmukh and unknown others.
The inquiry was launched after the Bombay High Court issued a direction to that effect on April 5, 2021, in response to a petition filed by Param Bir Singh, former Commissioner of Mumbai Police.
Based on this FIR of CBI, the ED initiated a case of money laundering invoking offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Deshmukh and arrested him in November 2021.
Deshmukh filed for bail in the ED case before the Bombay High Court in March 2022 after a special PMLA court rejected his bail plea.
The High Court, on October 4, granted bail to Deshmukh in the money laundering case.
This was upheld by the Supreme Court on October 11.
Immediately thereafter, Deshmukh moved the CBI Court seeking bail in the CBI case. It was heard by the special judge extensively with the CBI vehemently opposing the bail application.
The special judge the rejected the bail plea leading to the present plea before the High Court.
Source: Barandbench
