The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Bombay high court seeking that Maharashtra government be directed to provide it with documents required for their ongoing probe against former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
The application filed by the CBI states that it had written a letter to the State Intelligence Department (SID) seeking details pertaining to a communication sent by senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla on the issue of corruption in police transfers and postings.
However, the SID refused to provide the same claiming it was part of an ongoing investigation.
On July 22, the HC had held that the CBI can inquire into the allegations of corruption in transfer and postings of police personnel. The HC had also dismissed a petition filed by the Maharashtra government seeking deletion of certain portions of the CBI’s FIR against Deshmukh.
The central agency has stated in its application that Maharashtra government refused to share the documents claiming they are approaching the Supreme Court challenging the HC order of July 22.
“This was in clear violation of the order of the High Court which categorically had refused a stay on their order and no such order had yet been obtained from the Supreme Court,” the CBI said in its application.
The application further adds: “In view of the constant hinderance of the State government to the investigation, the CBI has sought for directions to the Maharashtra government to provide documents sought by CBI and to handover a copy of the documents sought.”
The CBI application is likely to be heard before a division bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar on Thursday.
On April 5, the HC had asked the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry against the NCP leader. Based on this, the central agency, on April 21, registered an FIR against Deshmukh on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.
