State: SIT, not CBI, must probe case against Deshmukh in Mumbai – Times of India

Mumbai: Maharashtra government on Thursday began its rejoinder to submissions by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against its petition for constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe a case filed by the agency against former home minister Anil Deshmukh and “unknown others” under Prevention of Corruption Act.
Senior counsel and former additional solicitor-general Darius Khambata as special counsel for state government said contrary to what CBI argued, that its probe was against only Deshmukh, its affidavit and pleadings show it was against “unknown others’’ too. He said since former Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal is director of CBI and as a DGP he was involved in decisions and recommendations for transfer and postings of police officers since he was on Police Establishment Boards (PEB) I and II, which deal with postings, he may be called for questioning to verify CBI’s claims that Deshmukh modified decisions of the board. Hence a separate SIT be appointed, he said.
Khambata, responding to submissions by ASG Aman Lekhi for CBI, said, “When CBI’s case on oath before HC is that Jaiswal who I believe is a very upright officer was closely involved in PEB I and II, no one how so ever high can argue to the contrary.’’ He said the state was not batting for Deshmukh.
Khambata said, “Am a little unnerved as a citizen to see CBI has decided that only Deshmukh is being probed, though.’’ He added, “Am not an apologist for Deshmukh. If he is guilty, he will be hanged. But so also his associates and ‘confederates’. He will be probed. As state, we are looking at an unbiased, untinted investigation… people also need to be reassured.’’
The state government claimed its “highest officers” were harassed. tnn