The CBI team investigating the involvement of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in the extortion case has approached the Bombay High Court alleging no co-operation from the Maharashtra government.
The CBI in its plea also informed that a Mumbai ACP threatening the CBI officers investigating the case.
CBI approaches Bombay HC & says that Maharashtra govt is not co-operating with CBI team investigating the Anil Deshmukh case despite clear orders from HC. CBI through ASG alleges in the court that instead of co-operating, a Mumbai ACP is threatening CBI officer probing this case pic.twitter.com/vIMFmWfNKa
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2021
Taking cognizance of the complaint, the Bench issued a notice to the Maharashtra government and listed the matter for hearing on August 11. “We are issuing notice to the government. Some ACP is threatening the CBI officers. Find out what the situation is. Please do not create an unfair situation that we have to take them (police) to task,” ordered the bench.
Court issues notice to the Mahrashtra govt and posts the matter for hearing on 11th August.
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2021
The court also directed the CBI to add the Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department) of the state as a respondent to the application. “Please ensure that the directions given by this court and the order passed earlier are followed in letter and spirit,” the Bench informed the state government.
State Intelligence Department refuses to share documents
The investigation pertaining to alleged irregularities against the state’s former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh is in knots. The CBI had sought details of a communication sent by senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla on the issue of corruption in police transfers and postings.
However, as per reports, the SID refused to furnish the documents, claiming they were part of an ongoing investigation.
This is despite CBI getting clearance from the High Court in July to investigate the matter. The HC had also dismissed a petition filed by the Maharashtra government, seeking that some parts of the central agency’s FIR against Deshmukh be quashed.
The Maharashtra government had submitted that it will move the Supreme Court against HC’s July 22 order. “This was in clear violation of the order of the High Court which categorically had refused a stay on its order and no such order had yet been obtained from the Supreme Court,” said the CBI.
However, the HC clarified that while the government may be challenging the July order in the apex court, the concern at hand is that the government is not handing over the documents sought by the CBI.
Meanwhile, NCP leader Anil Deshmukh who has been accused of corruption and several other charges is absconding. Since the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) became a party to the investigation, acting on an order by the Bombay High Court, the former minister is on the run.
The ED searched for Deshmukh last week at his known residences in Mumbai, Nagpur and Katol (Nagpur district) but failed to locate him.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR against former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh om 24 April in the case of extortion allegations levelled against by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. Deshmukh had resigned from his post in the Uddhav Thackeray earlier in that month after the High Court had directed the CBI to probe the allegations against him.
