Mumbai/Nagpur: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted raids at four premises of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh after registering FIR against him in connection with allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
The CBI officials, who conducted raids at four properties of Deshmukh in Maharashtra including his residence in Mumbai and other property in Nagpur, have seized electronic gadgets and incriminating documents, ANI reported.
The CBI officials followed all Covid-19 protocols and wore PPE kits while conducting the raids.
READ: CBI Registers FIR Against Anil Deshmukh, Searches His Residence
Deshmukh later in a tweet said that he fully cooperated with the CBI officials in their inquiry.
“After fully co-operating with the CBI in their inquiry, I am on my way to review the newly constructed Covid19 isolation centres at Katol and Narkhed,” he wrote on the micro-blogging platform.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After fully co-operating with the CBI in their inquiry, I am on my way to review the newly constructed Covid19 isolation centres at Katol and Narkhed.</p>— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/india/indian-army-and-assam-rifles-rescue-two-of-three-abducted-ongc-employees-operation-underway-1454464">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The probe agency had earlier carried out a preliminary enquiry against Deshmukh on the Bombay High Court’s orders to look into the allegations against him levelled by the former Mumbai police commissioner.
According to officials, the CBI got enough prima facie material during the enquiry 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.
The former minister was summoned by the probe agency for questioning in connection with the matter on April 14.
As part of its preliminary enquiry, the CBI also questioned Deshmukh’s personal assistants Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde, former cop Sachin Vaze’s two drivers, bar owners, Mumbai Police officers and the people close to the former minister in connection with the alleged corruption case.
READ: Indian Army And Assam Rifles Rescue Two Of Three Abducted ONGC Employees, Operation Underway
On March 20, Singh had written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had indulged in “malpractices” and asked for suspended police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month from bars and hotels.
Deshmukh later resigned as a minister after the Bombay High Court ordered a CBI probe into the allegations.