The CBI has called former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh for questioning on Wednesday in connection with a preliminary inquiry into probe allegations of corruption levelled against him by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh and suspended police officer Sachin Waze.
On Sunday, the agency had grilled two Personal Assistants—Sanjeev Palande and Kundan— in connection with the ongoing PE for over eight hours. Two drivers of Waze were grilled on Sunday.
Waze, an Assistant Police Inspector, is also an accused in the NIA case relating to investigation of parking of an explosive-laden SUV outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai.
The CBI notice, calling Deshmukh to join its probe team in Mumbai, was issued on Monday morning, a day after grilling of his two aides Sanjeev Palande and Kundan, sources said.
The CBI is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Deshmukh levelled by Singh after he was removed from the coveted post of Mumbai Police Commissioner.
Singh’s allegations are said to have been corroborated by Waze before the CBI probe team. Waze is in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing the SUV bomb scare case, the sources said.
Last week, the Bombay High Court had directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations levelled by Singh against Deshmukh and submit a report within 15 days.
In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked Waze to allegedly extort over `100 crore a month from nearly 1,700 bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
The High Court’s order came in response to a petition from Singh seeking a CBI probe in the matter.
The CBI team of officers from the agency’s headquarters here was sent to Mumbai to conduct the preliminary inquiry.
Till now, the agency has questioned Waze, Singh, Palande, Kundan, two drivers of Waze as also other officers of the Mumbai Police as of the inquiry.
According to the High Court directives, the CBI can take further action like registering a Regular Case (FIR) after the PE suggests prima facie substance in the corruption allegations in the matter.