Maharashtra govt moves SC against CBI inquiry into ex-minister Anil Deshmukh

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order directing the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into the allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

“We have filed an appeal on behalf of state government against the Bombay High Court order of yesterday,” said Maharashtra standing counsel Sachin Patil.

The high court had said that this was an “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” case which warranted an independent inquiry.

Singh, in his plea filed on March 25, sought a CBI probe against Deshmukh who, he claimed, had asked police officers, including suspended cop Sachin Waze, to extort ₹100 crore from Mumbai’s bars and restaurants.

After the high court order on Monday, Anil Deshmukh, a veteran politician from Vidarbha, resigned from the Maharashtra state government.

In his resignation letter, Anil Deshmukh said that he didn’t find it morally correct to continue as the Home Minister after the Bombay High Court’s order initiating a CBI probe against him. The CBI probe spells further trouble for the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

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