The Bombay High Court has directed the CBI to conduct preliminary inquiry within 15 days into corruption allegations made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh against state’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
The court’s order came on a plea filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Jaishri Patil.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish S Kulkarni said, “We agree with Jaishri Patil that directions are required to order an unbiased probe to unearth the truth. There can be no independent probe if it is given to Police as Deshmukh is HM. The interest of justice will be done if the Director of CBI is allowed to conduct a preliminary inquiry. Such preliminary inquiry is ordered in accordance with law and be concluded within 15 days.”
Former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh had set off a major row last month when he alleged that Deshmukh had asked suspended Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, who has been arrested in the SUV case, to collect Rs 100 crore from Mumbai’s restaurants, bars and hookah bars.
The court said that the CBI can decide on the future course of action after this preliminary inquiry is completed.
“Director of CBI is allowed to conduct a preliminary inquiry. Such preliminary inquiry be ordered in accordance with law and be concluded within 15 days once the preliminary inquiry is complete, director CBI (would) be at discretion to (decide on the) further course of action,” the Court said today.
However, since the allegations are being probed by a high-level committee initiated by the Maharashtra government, the court said that CBI need not immediately register an FIR in the case.
