Besides a main prayer to quash and set aside the FIR, pending hearing, Deshmukh has also sought interim protection from coercive steps. The HC is likely to hear the plea this week. (File Photo) Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday approached the Bombay High Court with a writ petition against the FIR filed by the CBI against him and unknown persons on charges of bribery, corruption and criminal conspiracy.
The CBI last month registered the FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC, stating that the preliminary enquiry (PE) prima facie revealed that a cognizable case is made out in the matter wherein Deshmukh and unknown others attempted to obtain “undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of his public duty”.
Besides a main prayer to quash and set aside the FIR, pending hearing, Deshmukh has also sought interim protection from coercive steps. The HC is likely to hear the plea this week.
The CBI had initiated a probe against Deshmukh after the Bombay HC directed it to carry out a preliminary enquiry into corruption allegations of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh against then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
Terming the case “unprecedented”, the court on April 5 had asked the CBI to complete the preliminary probe as early as possible, preferably within 15 days, after which the CBI director was at liberty to take “further course of action”.
Three days after he was removed as Mumbai Police Commissioner and posted to the Home Guards, Singh wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that Deshmukh asked suspended and arrested assistant police inspector Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month, including Rs 40-50 crore from 1,750 bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
According to the probe agency, its PE had found that Deshmukh was aware of the reinstatement of Waze into the police after 15 years and sensitive and “sensational” cases being given to Waze for investigation.
Waze is being probed by the NIA for his alleged role in the Ambani house bomb scare and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.
The CBI had also said it will probe Deshmukh’s role in exercising “undue influence” over the transfer and posting of police officials as alleged by Singh.
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