CBI said that efforts are being made to interfere in the investigation of cases against Anil Deshmukh. (file)
New Delhi:
The CBI has told the Supreme Court that attempts are being made by the Maharashtra government to scuttle the probe against former state home minister Anil Deshmukh by registering cases who are having “overwhelming influence” in the investigation of the case.
The agency, in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, said the criminal cases registered against former police commissioner Param Bir Singh deserve to be handed over to the CBI for a thorough and impartial investigation.
“It is submitted that considering the reasons expressed by the High Court (Bombay) and this Court in matters relating to the subject, in the view of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the present set of issues raised by the petitioner (Mr. In view of the above, the mentioned cases deserve to be referred to CBI for full, thorough and impartial investigation,” the agency said.
CBI submitted that it has examined and recorded the statements/explanations of several persons and collected relevant documents in respect of receiving undue advantage from the orchestra bar and such other institutions so as to investigate the improper and dishonest performance of public duty . The then Home Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh and others.
“It has also been learned from the news and news materials available in the media that attempts are being made by the CBI to sabotage the investigation so far, by resorting to registering cases which are being investigated by the CBI. having an overlapping effect.” stated in the affidavit.
“It is submitted that there is a need to ensure the integrity of the investigation being conducted by the CBI… It is submitted that subject to a detailed analysis of the investigation of the State of Maharashtra in the said FIR, this prima facie makes sense. It is an attempt to defy the orders of the Constitutional Courts, which have exercised the power of judicial review to investigate with a central agency in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case, the affidavit said.
The affidavit has been filed in response to an appeal filed by the former police commissioner against criminal cases registered against him.
The agency said that prima facie it appears that there has been a clear attempt to interfere with the handing over of the investigation conducted by the CBI to the court and an attempt has been made to jeopardize it.
The affidavit said, “It is submitted that in such circumstances, it is requested that this Court may exercise the powers vested in it to ensure that such attempts by various quarters are put to perpetuity.” be failed.”
The state police had earlier told the Supreme Court that Mr Singh could not be treated as a “whistleblower” under the law as he had chosen to speak out against alleged corruption involving former home minister Anil Deshmukh only after his transfer.
The top court had on November 22, 2021 given a major relief to Mr Singh by directing the Maharashtra Police not to arrest him in the criminal cases registered against him and wondered whether he should be allowed to register cases against police officials and extortionists. was being harassed for, “What can happen to the common man.”
Seeking the dismissal of Mr Singh’s plea against a CBI inquiry into the entire matter and any coercive action by the state, the Maharashtra government filed a counter-affidavit in the Supreme Court and said that the criminal cases against the former top cop are pending. There should be an investigation. Do not interfere.
Mr Singh was suspended in December 2021 after being named as an accused in at least five cases of alleged extortion in Mumbai and Thane.
Earlier, the Bombay High Court had dismissed Mr Singh’s plea, seeking quashing of the probe initiated against him by the Maharashtra government, and said he could approach the Central Administrative Tribunal.
The High Court had held that it was a service matter, and rejected his claim that the government’s action was a result of his allegations of corruption against Mr. Deshmukh.
In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he leveled allegations of corruption against Mr Deshmukh, after Mr Singh was removed from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner following the ‘Antilia bomb scare case’ in March 2021. In his plea, Mr Singh had also alleged that DGP Pandey told him that the inquiry was a result of his allegations against NCP leader Mr Deshmukh.
Mr Singh was transferred to the home guard after Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze was arrested in connection with the suspicious death of businessman Mansukh Hiran in an SUV carrying explosives near ‘Antilia’, home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.
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