Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, in a cabinet meeting held on Monday night, has reportedly given green signal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute the case against former Home Minister Anil Deskmukh in connection with the Rs 100 crore extortion case.
According to a report by ABP Mazha, the central agency had filed a chargesheet against Deshmukh along with his personal assistants- Kundan Shinde (his former private assistant) and Sanjeev Palande (an additional collector rank government officer) in the month of June.
However, in order to probe the case against a government employee or any minister in a court of law, sanction of prosecution is required from the government in power in the state under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The previous Mahavikas Aghadi government had not given the permission. The decision comes three months after the agency had filed a chargesheet against him in the bribery case. With the permission granted recently, the case against Deshmukh will reach the trial stage.
Anil Deshmukh extortion case
In April 2021, the ED launched a probe against Deshmukh after the CBI registered an FIR against him on the charges of bribery. The ED alleged that Deshmukh, while serving as state home minister, had collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants based in Mumbai via then-police officer, Sachin Vaze.
The money was allegedly laundered and channelized to Deshmukh family's education trust. The central agency filed its case after ex-Mumbai police commissioner, Param Bir Singh penned an explosive letter to then-CM Uddhav Thackeray saying that Deshmukh had order two police officials to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from the city's bars and restaurants.
