This Article is From Mar 12, 2022

CBI Examines Mumbai Police Chief In Probe Against Ex Maharashtra Minister

Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey was questioned for nearly six hours over allegations of trying to influence former commissioner Param Bir Singh to withdraw his complaint against Anil Deshmukh, officials said.

CBI Examines Mumbai Police Chief In Probe Against Ex Maharashtra Minister

Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey was questioned for nearly six hours (File)

New Delhi:

The CBI Saturday examined Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey in connection with its probe against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in a corruption case, officials said Saturday.

Mr Pandey was questioned for nearly six hours over the allegations of attempting to influence former commissioner Param Bir Singh to withdraw his complaint against Mr Deshmukh while the Bombay High Court was hearing the case, they said. 

The agency has booked Mr Deshmukh and unidentified others under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and section of Prevention of Corruption Act for "attempt to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty".

In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, after he was removed from Mumbai Police Commissioner's post, Param Bir Singh had alleged Deshmukh allegedly asked Sachin Waze, a Mumbai police officer now sacked in Antilia security breach case, to allegedly extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai, they said.

"The Preliminary Enquiry prima facie revealed that a cognizable offence is made out in the matter, wherein the then Home minister of Maharashtra, shri Anil Deshmukh and unknown others have attempted to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest  performance of their public duty," the CBI FIR has alleged. 

According to the CBI manual, a preliminary enquiry is initiated to assess if there is enough prima facie material in the allegations to proceed with a regular case for a full fledged probe, officials said.

The CBI enquiry found Mr Waze, who was arrested later by NIA, had been reinstated into the police force after being out of of service for more than 15 years.

Mr Waze was entrusted with most of the sensational and important cases of Mumbai City Police and Mr Deshmukh, the then home minister, was in knowledge of the said fact, the FIR alleged.

The FIR has alleged that Mr Deshmukh "and others" exercised undue influence over transfer and posting of officials and thereby exercising undue influence over the performance of their official duties.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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