Rashmi Shukla report: Maharashtra govt assures HC to hand over documents to CBI by Aug 31

Based on tapped telephonic conversations, the report highlights how certain persons were acting as conduits, helping many senior police officers to secure transfers and lucrative postings

The state government on Thursday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that it would hand over by August 31 the certified copies of the Rashmi Shukla report and related documents to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), for the agency’s probe in the April 21 first information report (FIR) registered by it against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.

Rashmi Shukla. (HT PHOTO)

Based on tapped telephonic conversations, the report highlights how certain persons were acting as conduits, helping many senior police officers to secure transfers and lucrative postings using their political connections.

The division bench of justice SS Shinde and justice NJ Jamadar was hearing the application by CBI seeking documents which included the letter submitted by Shukla to the director-general of police and a report on the transfer and postings. The CBI had also sought copies of the annexures to the report and digital devices and panchnama which showed how the documents had been transferred from one department to another.

Senior advocate Rafiq Dada, who appeared for the state government, submitted that as per the assurance given to the bench on Monday, the state had agreed to hand over documents, annexures to the documents and digital devices sought by CBI by August 31.

Dada, however, added that the state would not be able to provide certified copies of the panchnama and was not in a position to respond to the query of CBI as to the number of copies made of the annexures and the digital devices as the same was not known. It was also submitted that the panchnama was not required in the Deshmukh probe.

Additional solicitor general Anil Singh appearing for CBI submitted the panchnama was sought only to ascertain the chain of events showing handing over of documents.

After hearing and recording the submissions, the court observed that such issues should not come before the court. “In many occasions, the state and CBI share (document and information) especially on intra-state issues, crime spread over other states. Both CBI or you (state agencies) need to co-operate with each other,” said the bench.

The court noted that after the state had challenged certain portions of the CBI FIR filed on April 21, the HC had dismissed the challenge through its July 22 order and the Apex court had also upheld the HC decision. In light of this, the court said that it was necessary for the officers to comply with court orders in letter and spirit and also told chief public prosecutor Aruna Pai to ensure that no unfavourable situation was created which could compel the court to take officers to the task.

On the issue of the panchnama the court said that it would see the petitions of both the CBI and the state government and pass appropriate orders on September 2.