In a major development, the enquiry team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday issued summons to former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to get his statement recorded in connection with the corruption allegations levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. The move comes a day after the agency had made enquiries with two personal assistants of Deshmukh, namely Kundan Shinde and Sanjeev Palande.
"We have issued summons to Anil Deshmukh in connection with ongoing enquiry and he his statement will be recorded on April 14," confirmed a CBI official.
The CBI team on Monday again made enquiries with Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Patil for the second time in connection with the matter, sources said.
Singh, in his letter written last month to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had claimed and alleged that "Sachin Vaze who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police was called by Deshmukh, to his official residence Dyaneshwar several times in last few months and repeatedly instructed to assist in collection of funds for the Home Minister. In and around mid-February and thereafter, the Home Minister had called Vaze to his official residence. At that time, one or two staff members of the Home Minister including his Personal Secretary, Mr. Palande, were also present. The Home Minister expressed to Vaze that he had a target to accumulate Rs. 100 crores a month. For achieving the aforesaid target, the Home Minister told Vaze that there are about 1,750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai and if a sum of Rs. 2-3 lakhs each was collected from each of them, a monthly collection of Rs. 40-50 crores was achievable. The Home Minister added that the rest of the collection could be made from other sources."
Deshmukh had denied all the allegations made by Singh.
Following an order of the Bombay High Court, the CBI had last Tuesday registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) to probe the allegations against Deshmukh.
The CBI team had earlier recorded the statements of Param Bir Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Enforcement) Raju Bhujbal, ACP Sanjay Patil and Vaze in connection with the allegations.
The probe team had also recorded the statement of advocate Jayshri Patil, who had also approached the court seeking probe into Singh’s allegations. The HC had ordered the CBI probe against Deshmukh on a criminal writ petition filed by advocate Patil. The court had ordered CBI to conduct an enquiry into the matter and submit a report within 15 days.
The agency had also recorded statements of a Kandivali bar owner and two drivers of Vaze.
