CBI searches ex-Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh's house in Mumbai

The CBI on Saturday conducted searches at former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh's premises in Mumbai and his hometown Nagpur after registering a case against him in connection with allegations of corruption, an official said.

In Mumbai, teams of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted simultaneous searches at two properties linked to Deshmukh.

Searches were conducted at Dnyaneshwari bungalow in south Mumbai's Malabar Hill, which was allotted to Deshmukh, when he was a minister. Another team carried out searches at his flat in Sukhada Apartment on Sir Pochkhanwala Road in Worli.

CBI officers wearing PPE kits and masks in view of the coronavirus situation conducted the operation that began early morning, he said, adding that they had brought a printer and a laptop with them to make spot panchnama.

Sources said that the CBI officers have collected some incriminating documents from these locations in the state capital.

In Nagpur, a CBI team had arrived from Delhi on Friday night and launched searches at Deshmukh's properties early this morning, sources said. The members of this team also wore PPE kits during the operation.

Deshmukh's house in Nagpur, where searches were carried out, is located at GPO Square in Civil Lines area.

The CBI has registered an FIR against Deshmukh after carrying out a preliminary enquiry on the orders of the Bombay High Court to look into the allegations of bribery against him levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Deshmukh, an NCP leader, had resigned as a minister earlier this month after the high court asked the CBI to probe the allegations against him.

The CBI officials have said that the agency has got enough prima facie material to start a formal probe by registering a regular case against Deshmukh and other unidentified persons under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

On March 25, Param Bir Singh had filed a criminal public interest litigation seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh, who, he claimed, had asked police officers, including suspended cop Sachin Waze, to extort Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants.