A Delhi court on Thursday, 2 September granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) two days of custody of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's lawyer and its own sub-inspector in the case of the alleged leakage of a CBI probe document related to the ongoing inquiry against Deshmukh in a corruption case.
The order came after lawyer Anand Daga and SI Abhishek Tiwari were arrested for allegedly trying to influence the probe against Delhmukh.
The arrests come a day after the CBI picked up Daga and Deshmukh's son-in-law, Gaurav Chaturvedi, in connection with the case.
The two had been detained by the central agency for questioning on Wednesday evening, and had subsequently been released.
The 'Leakage'
The CBI detention of the former home minister's son-in-law and lawyer comes days after a CBI report, which had purportedly given 'clean chit' to Deshmukh, was ostensibly 'leaked' to the media.
The central agency believes that the two men had a hand in the leakage, and had detained them for questioning in relation to the matter.
Deshmukh's lawyer, Anand Daga, had allegedly tried to bribe a sub-inspector of the CBI to subvert the preliminary inquiry, The New Indian Express reported, citing sources.
Sub-inspector Abhishek Tiwari was subsequently arrested by the CBI on Wednesday.
“The CBI officers were influenced by these two people. The CBI is probing the leaked matter. Such kind of leak hardly happens and this is major therefore we are taken this as a serious matter and finding the truth behind it,” a CBI officer told The New Indian Express.
Nawab Malik, State Congress Spokesperson Sachin Sawant Slam Move
Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Nawab Malik said that Deshmukh's daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law had left their Worli residence in the evening when they were intercepted by the CBI, news agency IANS reported.
"Suddenly, they were intercepted by around a dozen persons said to be from the CBI who asked them to step out of their car. They took away Deshmukh's son-in-law and lawyer into their vehicle, without any explanation."Nawab Malik
State Congress Spokesperson Sachin Sawant criticised the detainment of Deshmukh's associates, terming it as "extremely serious."
"They were taken away without serving any notice. The laws are being trampled and the country is run by 'Modi-shahi' – 'Whatever we say is the law', the Modi government should officially declare," he was quoted as saying by IANS.
Malik further stated that the two men had been taken away "illegally, without any prior intimation or notice".
The CBI must clarify under what laws and norms the action was taken without following the due process of law, he demanded, IANS reported.
Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar has said, "We have sought a detailed report in the case."
The Case Against Deshmukh
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in March had alleged that Anil Deshmukh had been involved in corruption, meddling in the police force’s functioning, and the manipulation of transfers and postings in the state, among other charges. Singh had demanded a CBI probe into his allegations.
The former top cop had claimed that Deshmukh held meetings in February 2021 with junior police officers, including Sachin Vaze, who was arrested in relation to the Ambani bomb scare case, and had instructed them to collect Rs 100 crore every month.
Following the former top cop's allegations, the CBI had filed a First Information Report (FIR) over the charges of money laundering against Deshmukh on 24 May.
The Enforcement Directorate has also issued multiple summons to Deshmukh, all of which have been evaded by the politician. The former home minister on Thursday moved the Bombay High Court seeking direction to quash the latest ED summons sent to him.
(With inputs from The New Indian Express, ANI and IANS.)
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