The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh based on the corruption allegations by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
According to reports, the CBI conducted raids at four locations, including Deshmukh’s homes in Nagpur and Mumbai earlier today morning. The central agency has already completed its preliminary enquiry into the corruption allegation against Deshmukh.
On March 20, in an unsigned letter, Singh accused Home Minister Deshmukh of corruption. In the letter addressing Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Singh alleged that Deshmukh had asked encounter specialist Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore every month from various establishments including bars, restaurants and others.
Immediately after the incident, Deshmukh refuted the claims and said that Singh was making false allegations to save himself from legal action following the Ambani bomb scare case.
On March 25, the former Mumbai Police Commissioner filed public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh. Singh initially approached the Supreme Court, alleging he was transferred after he sent a written complaint to Thackeray and other senior leaders about the Deshmukh “corrupt malpractices”.
The Supreme Court asked Singh to approach the Bombay High Court first despite pointing out that the allegations are serious. Singh then filed a PIL with the Bombay HC against Deshmukh. The High Court had handed the investigation to the CBI earlier this month.
Hours after the HC handed the case to the CBI, Deshmukh tendered his resignation as the Maharashtra Home Minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on "moral grounds".
