ED summons Hasan Mushrif on Friday over cheating case

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Maharashtra minister and NCP legislator Hasan Mushrif on Friday as part of its money-laundering probe into a cheating case registered by the Kolhapur police in February. He was earlier questioned twice by the agency.

The legislator from Kolhapur’s Kagal constituency, Mushrif had served as rural development minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. On Monday he was questioned for about 10 hours to continue recording his statement as part of the ED’s money-laundering probe. The agency had questioned Mushrif last Wednesday as well. According to sources, Mushrif has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

ED had first summoned Mushrif last Tuesday

Last Tuesday the ED had first summoned Mushrif for questioning in its probe, which is based upon the case registered by Kolhapur police’s Murgud police station. The cheating case was registered in connection with alleged money collection from a member of a sugar factory. It was alleged by the complainant that he had been asked to deposit Rs10,000 although he did not get the sugar.

The ED also has under its scanner alleged irregularities in the operation of a Kolhapur-based sugar mill, Sar Senapati Santaji Ghorpade Sugar Factory Limited, to which Mushrif’s three sons are linked. The agency had claimed suspicious transactions from two companies “without having substantial business” to the factory.

Bombay HC granted interim protection for two weeks

The Bombay High Court had recently granted Mushrif interim protection from coercive action by the agency for two weeks. Mushrif had approached the HC to get the money-laundering case and the summons quashed. His counsels had pointed out that the HC, on May 2, 2022, had stayed the special court order initiating criminal proceedings in the sugar mill case and that the ED action came after the HC on Friday had passed an interim order for no coercive action in the other case of cheating.