E-Paper
Anil Deshmukh interrogated for 11 hours, says charges aimed at maligning MVA government
Deshmukh maintained his stance and said the allegations were only to besmirch Uddhav Thackeray government's image.
Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was interrogated for 11 hours by SP-rank officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is conducting the preliminary enquiry into the allegations of corruption brought against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. During his almost 11-hour long questioning, Deshmukh refuted the charges and said those were an attempt to malign the image of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of the state.
The questioning began at around 10am at the defence research and development organisation (DRDO) guest house in Santacruz (East) where he was summoned by the CBI. At around 9.30pm, Deshmukh left the guest house.
Deshmukh denied the allegations raised against him by Singh during questioning and told the officers that they were an attempt to malign the image of the state government, news agency PTI reported, quoting sources. It is not yet known whether he will be interrogated against tomorrow, the news agency reported.
Deshmukh resigned from his position on April 5 after the Bombay high court directed CBI to probe into the allegations against him. The CBI has questioned Deshmukh’s two personal assistants (PAs) Sanjeev Palande, Kundan Shinde, former commissioner Param Bir Singh, deputy commissioner police Raju Bhujbal, assistant commissioner of police, Sanjay Patil, former assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze and his two drivers till now.
Former top cop Singh and suspended police officer Sachin Waze alleged that Deshmukh had asked them to collect ₹100 crore per month from bars and restaurants, an allegation which the former minister has already denied.
The allegations against Deshmukh were raised after after Waze was linked with the security breach near Antilia where an explosive-laden SUV was found on February 25. Waze is also an accused in the death of Mansukh Hiran, the businessman, who apparently owned the SUV. Waze is currently in judicial custody till April 23.
