The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed pleas filed by the Maharashtra Government and its former residence minister Anil Deshmukh difficult the Bombay High Court order directing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of corruption levelled in opposition to him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Justice S.Okay. Kaul, who heard the matter, acknowledged the allegations are severe and require an impartial probe. “The Home Minister and Police Commissioner are involved. They are closely working together till they fall apart, both holding a particular position. Should the CBI not probe? The nature of allegations and persons involved require an independent probe,” he stated.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal representing Deshmukh instructed the apex courtroom that the regulation have to be uniform for everybody.
“It can’t be that just because the Police Commissioner has said something, his words become evidence,” he added.
Sibal additional stated there could be no preliminary inquiry with out listening to Deshmukh.
“It’s only an inquiry on the basis of something akin to a press conference. It’s hearsay,” he added.
Justice Kaul noticed: “It was not your (Anil Deshmukh) enemy, who made the allegations against you but it was done by the one who was almost your right-hand man (Param Bir Singh). The probe should be done against both.”
READ: Bombay HC Orders CBI Inquiry On Anil Deshmukh Over Charges Levelled By Param Bir Singh
The Bombay High Court had earlier on April 5 directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into corruption allegations in opposition to Deshmukh.
The bench ordered the CBI Director to conduct a preliminary inquiry in accordance with regulation and conclude it inside 15 days.
The former prime cop moved the High Court final month in search of an “immediate and unbiased” probe in opposition to Deshmukh, who he claimed requested police officer Sachin Vaze to gather ₹100 crores from bars and eating places.
He had talked about in his plea that Deshmukh used to continuously intervene with police investigations and even held conferences at his residence with law enforcement officials.
