A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team on Thursday recorded statements of former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh, assistant commissioner of police, Sanjay Patil and suspended assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze in connection with the preliminary enquiry (PE) which is being conducted by the agency following a Bombay High Court order. Late evening, the team also called in DCP Raju Bhujbal to record his statement.
Jayshri Patil, a city-based lawyer had approached the Bombay High Court (HC) recently asking them to order an independent probe into the allegations made by former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh. Singh, in a letter written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 20, had accused Deshmukh of asking the Mumbai Police to collect Rs 100 crore per month from bars, hotels and restaurants, an allegation that was denied by Deshmukh.
The Bombay HC has asked the central agency to complete the enquiry within 15 days after which the CBI director will take a call on the further course of action.
The agency sources claimed that Singh has provided details of the digital evidence (WhatsApp chat between him and ACP Sanjay Patil) to the enquiry team. "Statements of Singh and Vaze were recorded by the team on Wednesday as well apart from the statement of lawyer Jayashri Patil. The team will verify all the evidence received by them and will decide further steps," said a source.