The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on today filed a first information report (FIR) against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh over allegations of corruption levelled by ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. The agency invoked the Prevention of Corruption Act and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) in filing the FIR and also raided his residence along with three other places in Mumbai in connection with the case.
The former minister was summoned by the probe agency for questioning into the matter on April 14 after Param Bir Singh, in a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, accused him of directing his subordinates to collect money from bars, restaurants and hotels in Mumbai. According to Singh, Deshmukh told police officer Sachin Vaze, now suspended and arrested in connection with Mukesh Ambani security threat case, to collect Rs100 crore a month from these sources.The investigation was taken up by the CBI after the High Court of Bombay directed it on April 5 to conduct a preliminary investigation into the case within 15 days. On April 8, the Supreme Court ruled 8 that the allegations levelled against the former minister were “serious” and needed probe by the central agency.
