Watch: Anil Deshmukh seeks divine blessings at Siddhivinayak Temple after spending 13 months in jail

Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh visited the famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai right after he walked out of the Aurthur Road after getting bail in a money laundering case.

Deshmukh got a hero's welcome outside the prison by Nationalist Congress Party workers and top leaders like Supriya Sule, state chief Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, Chhaghan Bhujbal.

He then travelled from the prison to the Siddhivinayak temple in south Mumbai on an open-top jeep with party workers and supporters cheering along the way.

'Jailed on false charges'

The NCP leader told reporters that he was arrested on" false charges" of money laundering.

“False allegations were levelled against me. Param Bir Singh had made an allegation of Rs. 100 crore corruption against me.

"However, he only told the court on affidavit that said allegations were based on hearsay and that he did not have any evidence on the same," Deshmukh said.

Why was Anil Deshmukh arrested

Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in November 2021 after being accused of misuing his position as state home minister. ED claimed that he collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars in Mumbai through some police officers.

But he got bail in the case from the Bombay High Court which rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation's plea seeking another extension on the stay to Deshmukh's bail order.