Maha govt moves HC against CBI summons to chief secy, DGP in Anil Deshmukh case

The Maharashtra government has moved the Bombay High Court, challenging the recent summons issued by the CBI to state Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey in connection with the FIR registered by the central agency against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has moved the Bombay High Court, challenging the recent summons issued by the CBI to state Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey in connection with the FIR registered by the central agency against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. The state government filed a writ petition on Tuesday and mentioned it on Wednesday before a bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and SV Kotwal, seeking urgent hearing.

The HC posted the plea for hearing on October 20. Earlier this month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) issued summons to Kunte and Pandey, asking them to appear before it this week in connection with the FIR registered the probe agency against NCP leader Deshmukh for alleged political interference in transfers and postings of police officers.

The allegations of such interference and misconduct on part of Deshmukh were made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in March this year through a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Following a subsequent order of the Bombay high court, the CBI conducted a preliminary enquiry into the allegations. In April this year, the central agency registered the FIR against Deshmukh and other persons. Deshmukh, who resigned from the post of state home minister in April, is facing probe by central agencies on multiple charges. He has repeatedly denied the allegations levelled against him.

PTI