Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh Photo : ANIMumbai: Former Maharahstra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s bail plea has been rejected by a special PMLA court in Mumbai today. Judge Rahul Rokade while dictating the order observed that there is prima facia evidence to establish that the accused was involved in money laundering, at this stage. Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in November 2021 in an alleged money laundering case whereby he had allegedly laundered crores of ill gotten money received via extortion. Earlier, Deshmukh had filed a default bail plea which was also rejected by the court. As per the second bail plea (filed on merits), Deshmukh stated that he is a victim of gross persecution and harassment being meted out to him at the hands of certain ‘unscrupulous vested interests’. He also stated in the plea that the trial against him is unlikely to commence as the investigation is ongoing. Deshmukh had also claimed through the plea that this is a ‘shocking abuse of power and authority by the concerned officials who have virtually unleashed a reign of terror by subverting the process of law.’As per ED’s reply to the bail plea, “There is sufficient material against Deshmukh which showed his complicity in the crime.”ED pointed out that Anil Deshmukh is the main conspirator and the brain behind the whole conspiracy to collect money from the orchestra bar owners through cops such as Sachin Waze and that the extortion money was laundered by Deshmukh with the help of his son Hrishikesh and hawala operators in the account of their trust as donation. Deshmukh laundered Rs 13.25 crore and integrated it in the bank account of his family-controlled trust, said ED’s reply. The agency had also said that the probe is in its initial stage and that statements of various suspected persons are yet to be recorded. ED had also said that Deshmukh is an ‘influential person’ and may influence witnesses, ‘owing to his strong financial power’ and therefore the bail plea should be rejected.