Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s lawyer had allegedly gifted an iPhone 12 to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sub-inspector as "illegal gratification" for a confidential report connected with the ongoing probe against Deshmukh.
The CBI, in its FIR against sub-inspector Abhishek Tiwari, said:
“It has been learnt that Advocate Anand Daga met Sh Abhishek Tiwari and handed over an iPhone 12 Pro as illegal gratification to him in lieu of passing details regarding the said enquiry and the investigation, thereby causing improper performance of public duty.”CBI
The FIR also says that “it has also been reliably learnt that he had been obtaining illegal gratification from Sh Daga at regular intervals”.
The sub-inspector, Abhishek Tiwari and Deshmukh’s lawyer Anand Daga have reportedly been arrested by the CBI for allegedly trying to influence the probe against Deshmukh.
Deshmukh, on his part, had stepped down in April after he was accused of corruption by former Mumbai Police Chief Param Bir Singh.
HOW DID IT PURPORTEDLY HAPPEN?
Sources have said that Tiwari had visited Pune in connection with the probe. Daga, thereby, is accused to have met Tiwari and handed him the iPhone 12 Pro.
As per the FIR copy against Tiwari, members of the team investigating the case against Deshmukh examined many witnesses including the (then) state home minister Deshmukh himself. He was examined on 14 April and the report was submitted.
Tiwari is said to have then assisted the EO in preparation of the report in question and was in possession of case documents. Following the comments and opinion of senior officers including legal officers and after the approval of the competent authority, an FIR was was registered against Deshmukh and others, who are unknown.
The FIR cites a source as informing them that copies of different documents like memorandum was shared with Dhaka through WhatsApp on many occasions. It also says that documents pertaining to the inquiry and the investigation have been disclosed to unauthorised persons.
Tiwari is believed to have first come in contact with Data during the course of the enquiry.
The probe in the case against Deshmukh is still underway.
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