Mumbai: CBI questions Anil Deshmukh about allegations of graft

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh for about 11 hours in connection with the allegations of corruption levelled against him by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh for about 11 hours in connection with the allegations of corruption levelled against him by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

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Responding to summons issued by CBI, Deshmukh reached the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) guest house at Santacruz (east) shortly after 10am on Wednesday. CBI officers said Deshmukh was questioned about the allegations and his statement was recorded.

CBI had issued summons to the NCP leader on April 12 as part of its preliminary enquiry registered on April 6, a day after the Bombay high court (HC) directed the central agency to probe the serious allegations against Deshmukh. He stepped down from the post of home minister on April 5, shortly after the HC ordered the CBI probe.

The central agency has so far questioned Deshmukh’s personal assistant Sanjeev Palande, personal secretary Kundan Shinde, Param Bir Singh, deputy commissioner police (enforcement) Raju Bhujbal, assistant commissioner of police (social service branch) Sanjay Patil, suspended assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze, and two police drivers attached to the criminal intelligence unit (CIU) of Mumbai Police’s crime branch. CBI has also questioned a few bar owners in connection with the alleged extortion.

In a letter addressed to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 20, Singh alleged that on several occasions Deshmukh had summoned some Mumbai Police officers such as Bhujbal, Patil, and Vaze, who has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Antilia bomb scare case, and instructed them to extort ₹100 crore monthly from various establishments, especially dance bars, in the city.

Singh’s letter also added that Deshmukh had told the officers that ₹50 crore could be easily collected by extorting ₹3-4 lakh from each of the 1,750 licensed establishments in Mumbai, and the rest from other sources. Singh said Vaze had informed him about Deshmukh’s demands.

In addition, Singh also alleged that Deshmukh interfered in policing affairs.

Singh was shunted out by Deshmukh from the post of Mumbai Police chief on March 17 and was posted as commandant general of Home Guards and Civil Defence, three days after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Vaze for allegedly planting an explosive-laden vehicle near Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, on February 25 with a threatening note, and also for his alleged involvement in Mansukh Hiran murder case.

Soon after registration of an offence in the Antilia bomb scare case, Singh had transferred the case to the CIU, which was then headed by Vaze.

NIA later also found that during the course of investigation for one-and-half day in the Antilia case, Vaze had collected and systematically destroyed evidence.