Anil Deshmukh to be questioned by CBI today over extortion claims by Param Bir Singh

The CBI has so far quizzed Anil Deshmukh’s personal assistants (PAs), Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde, and former cop Sachin Vaze’s two drivers in connection with the alleged corruption case.

Anil Deshmukh, former home minister of Maharashtra, has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday over corruption allegations levelled against him by ex-Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Anil Deshmukh has denied the corruption allegations against him. (HT File Photo )

Param Bir Singh, in a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray last month, stated that Anil Deshmukh told now suspended police officer Sachin Vaze, arrested in connection with Mukesh Ambani security threat case, to collect ₹100 crore a month from bars, restaurants, hotels, and other sources in Mumbai.

“Anil Deshmukh is the primary suspect in this enquiry. He needs to be questioned regarding the claims that he wanted Vaze to collect this scale of money every month. He will be confronted with the statements of Vaze, Param Bir Singh and his staff,” an official, who said that the former minister will appear before the central investigation agency, told HT.

As part of its preliminary enquiry, the CBI has so far quizzed Anil Deshmukh’s personal assistants (PAs), Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde, and former cop Sachin Vaze’s two drivers in connection with the alleged corruption case. The federal agency has also questioned bar owners, Mumbai Police officers, and people close to the former minister.

The CBI investigation into the matter was ordered by the Bombay high court on April 5 ruling out a police probe as the department reported to him. Anil Deshmukh resigned as home minister the same day.

Anil Deshmukh, who has denied the allegations, and his party Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also approached the Supreme Court to challenge the high court order but their petitions were turned down by the top court citing “serious allegations” that must be probed by the CBI.

The party, however, said that Deshmukh will cooperate with the agency in the inquiry. “If CBI has summoned him then he (Anil Deshmukh) will respond and cooperate accordingly. He made no mistake and we are sure he will come out clean in the CBI inquiry,” said Nawab Malik, the party’s chief spokesperson.

People familiar with the CBI’s PE procedure told HT that though they have just nine more days to conclude the inquiry, finding a “prime facie” offence would not be difficult.

The central probing agency has also analysed several documents obtained by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the Antilia bomb scare case and the murder of Mansukh Hiran, the Thane-based auto parts dealer who claimed ownership of the explosives-laden vehicle found outside billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai in February.