Search ops in Deshmukh’s house lasted for 14 hours

Nagpur: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team of the anti-corruption unit (no.5) from Delhi and Nagpur conducted a 14-hour search operation at the Civil Lines home-cum-office of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Saturday after an FIR was filed following the direction of the Bombay high court. Sources said he was questioned about certain matters relating to the operation.
It’s learnt that CBI has collected laptops, computers, some electronic gadgets and documents after the operation which wound up at 10 pm. The high court had ordered CBI to conduct a ‘preliminary inquiry’ on April 5 following a petition filed by former Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh and a PIL by an activist. It was alleged that Deshmukh misused power for malpractices in transfer and posting apart from trying to extort Rs 100 crore through police officers.
The PPE-kit clad CBI team was also accompanied by an independent witnesses whose presence was needed as per procedure.
After entering Deshmukh’s house at around 8 am, the CBI team left the house at 6.30 pm following which even Deshmukh departed for his constituency, Katol, to visit a newly opened Covid care centre. However, all of a sudden, the CBI team returned around 7 pm. Deshmukh too was then called back and he arrived after 30 minutes.
Finally, Deshmukh left for Katol after the CBI team departed at 10 pm. “CBI conducted a search at my place. I offered full co-operation to them,” said Deshmukh before leaving for Katol.
Sources informed that CBI had come prepared with a ‘checklist’. They had earlier ignored some old and damaged computer systems but returned to pick them up.
Bags were continuously being shifted from the house triggering rounds of speculation about their contents.
This was the second time in two weeks that Deshmukh was being questioned by the CBI, the earlier occasion being in Mumbai. Apart from him, CBI also quizzed members of his office staff.
On April 21, CBI had registered an offence against Deshmukh under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, (amended) 2018 for making illegal demands and also section 120B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for criminal conspiracy. CBI has also mentioned ‘unknown persons’ as accomplices of Deshmukh in the FIR registered in Mumbai by the Delhi team.
The FIR stated Deshmukh and unknown others “have attempted to obtain undue advantages for improper and dishonest performance of their public duty”. The FIR also adds that Deshmukh was aware of API Sachin Vaze’s reinstatement after 15 years and allowing him to do maximum “sensational and important cases”.