Mumbai, Jan 18: A special court here on Tuesday rejected a plea filed by former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh seeking `default bail’ in an alleged money laundering case.
Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 2, 2021, and is currently in judicial custody. In his application, the NCP leader had said the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases did not take cognizance of the prosecution complaint (charge sheet) filed by the ED before remanding him in further judicial custody. As the cognizance was not taken in the stipulated period of 60 days from the arrest, he should get bail by default (on technical grounds) under section 167 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the plea said. The ED opposed this argument, saying the charge sheet had been filed within the stipulated time. Special Judge R N Rokade on Tuesday rejected the NCP leader’s plea.
As per section 167, if a charge sheet is not filed and its cognizance not taken within 60 days, the accused can seek default bail.
But the Central agency’s contention was that the question of court taking cognizance of charge sheet was not pertinent. (PTI)
