The CBI has filed an FIR against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in connection with the corruption and extortion-related allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. Significantly, the FIR focuses on the controversial reinstatement of Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze of Antilia notoriety, saying that the twin decisions to rehabilitate the “encounter” specialist and the subsequent decision to task him with important cases were “in the knowledge” of Deshmukh: something which immediately sparked speculation that those who directly took the calls could also be in agency’s crosshairs.
The FIR was filed under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and names Deshmukh as an accused. Deshmukh is likely to be extensively grilled in the coming days, a source said. The agency conducted massive searches at multiple locations across Maharashtra. CBI teams also searched the premises of Deshmukh in Nagpur and Mumbai.
The agency is learnt to have seized electronic gadgets and incriminating documents after the searches. Sources say the CBI has been able to collect some prima facie technical evidence on basis of which the allegations apparently seem to be prima facie corroborating. The FIR states that the preliminary enquiry (PE) had prima facie revealed that a cognizable offence was made out in the matter wherein Deshmukh and others have attempted to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of the public duty.
The PE has revealed that API Sachin Waze was reinstated in the service after being out of service for 15 years and entrusted with most of the sensational and important cases of Mumbai police with Deshmukh being in knowledge of this fact. The FIR also mentions part of Param Bir Singh’s 104-page-long complaint alleging that Deshmukh and others exercised undue influence over transfer postings of police personnel “thereby exercising undue influence over their performance”.
