In a setback to Uddhav Thackeray-led-Maharashtra Government and its former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed their pleas challenging the Bombay High Court order directing a CBI probe into allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Terming it as a “matter of public confidence”, a Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta said, “De hors the niceties of an elaborate order passed by the High Court, we are of the view that the nature of allegations, the personas involved and the seriousness of the allegations do require an independent agency to enquire into the matter.”
The Bench, while refusing to interfere with the High Court order of April 5, said “We may also add that what has been directed is only a preliminary enquiry albeit by an independent agency.”
It rejected the submission of senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Maharashtra Government, that merely because the Home Minister has resigned after the impugned order would be a factor not to direct enquiry by an independent agency.
It observed that the HC order directing the CBI probe is “not in violation of federal structure”.