The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has told the Bombay High Court that the Maharashtra government is interfering in and hampering its investigation into the case against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
In its latest plea in the case, the CBI has said, “Bare perusal of certain documents would clarify the manner in which the concerned authorities in Government of Maharashtra are continuing to interfere with and hamper the investigation of CBI.”
The central agency has sought directions from the Bombay High Court to the Maharashtra government to provide the documents sought by the CBI.
CBI ASKS MUMBAI POLICE FOR DOCUMENTS
The CBI had reportedly addressed two letters to the Cyber Police Station in Mumbai seeking a certified copy of the report submitted by IPS officer Rashmi Shukla which had been seized by the police for the purpose of investigation. The CBI requested these documents as it is required for the ongoing probe against former state home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Recently, the division bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar had dismissed a plea filed by the Maharashtra government seeking court intervention in two paragraphs in the FIR pertaining to the transfer and posting of police officers and regarding the reinstatement of now dismissed assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze.
MUMBAI POLICE REFUSES TO GIVE CBI THE DOCUMENTS
However, the concerned state authorities have till date not provided the CBI with the required material. The CBI stated that in response to their letters, the state police refused to give a copy of the documents. In their refusal letter, the state government stated that since they were approaching the Supreme Court challenging the order, they would not be sharing documents.
This, the agency said, is in clear violation of the high court order which had refused a stay on their order. No such order had been obtained from the Supreme Court as yet, the CBI said.
WHAT IS THE CASE AGAINST ANIL DESHMUKH?
The CBI has been conducting an investigation in the case against Anil Deshmukh after the Bombay High Court gave its permission for the inquiry on April 5, 2021, based on a petition filed by Param Bir Singh, former Commissioner of Mumbai Police. The inquiry revealed that cognizable offence can be made out against Deshmukh and unknown others who attempted to obtain undue advantage of their public posts.
The allegation that CBI is investigating is that the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh and unknown others performed their public duty dishonestly and improperly. At the relevant time, Rashmi Shukla was serving in the state intelligence department. She alleged that audio recordings of some phone calls showed that there were monetary gains being made by some people in exchange for certain transfer postings to a few policemen.
The high court is likely to hear this plea on August 5.
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Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/law/story/maharashtra-govt-hampering-investigation-anil-deshmukh-case-cbi-bombay-high-court-1836902-2021-08-05
