CBI files FIR against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, others

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and others in connection with allegations made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh, reported news agency ANI.

The agency also conducted searches at various places.

Deshmukh had resigned from his post after the Bombay High Court directed the CBI to initiate an inquiry within 15 days into the allegations levelled against him by Singh.

Later, the CBI had registered a preliminary inquiry (PE) into the case and questioned the former minister for eight hours. Deshmukh had denied the allegations and told the officers that it was an attempt to malign the image of the state government.

An FIR was to be registered if the probe agency finds the allegations by Singh true during the preliminary probe.

After his removal as Mumbai police commissioner last month, Singh wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saying Deshmukh had set the target to some police officers, including Waze, to collect ₹100 crore per month from bars and restaurants.

Waze, an assistant police inspector, is currently being investigated by the NIA in connection with the recovery of an explosive-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in south Mumbai on 25 February and the subsequent murder of Mansukh Hiran, the purported owner of that vehicle.

The allegations raised by Singh were reportedly corroborated by Waze, officials had said.

Singh had earlier last month moved the HC seeking an "immediate and unbiased" probe against Deshmukh.

The ex-top cop said in his plea that Deshmukh held meetings at his residence with several Mumbai police officials, including Waze, in February this year.

He added that Deshmukh regularly interfered with police functioning and often misused his office.

Deshmukh had later written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, urging him to order a probe into the allegations.

"I had demanded the honourable chief minister to order a probe into Param Bir Singh's allegation against me to clear the air. I will welcome if the honourable chief minister orders probe," Deshmukh wrote on Twitter.