'CBI chief Subodh Jaiswal is 'potential accused' in case against Anil Deshmukh'

CBI director Subodh Jaiswal himself should be considered a potential accused in the central agencys probe against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh the state government told the Bombay High CourtSenior counsel Darius Khambata who appeared for the Maharashtra government told a bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and SV Kotwal that from 2019 to 2020 when Jaiswal was the state Director General of Police DGP he was also part of the Police Establishment Board The senior IPS officer was thus involved in decisions on transfers and postings of police officers which the CBI is now probing the lawyer saidThe Maharashtra government has challenged before the high court summons issued by the CBI to state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and present state DGP Sanjay Pandey to record statements in connection with the agencys probe against Anil Deshmukh Recommendations for transfers and postings were approved by Jaiswal in his capacity as DGP during Deshmukhs tenure Khambata saidA CBI probe is ongoing into transfers and postings of state police officers made during former home minister Anil Deshmukhs tenure Then the next in line to be probed is the Director General of Police who is the fulcrum who is at the heart of the issue of transfers and postings So having the former DGP head the investigation is like having Anil Deshmukh investigate it himself the states lawyer saidThe CBI is probing allegations of corruption made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh an NCP leader Following an order of the Bombay High Court on April 5 2021 the CBI conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations made by Singh against Deshmukh and later registered an FIRIn September this year the CBI summoned Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and the present DGP Sanjay Pandey for recording statements in the caseThe Maharashtra government has moved the HC challenging the summons Advocate Khambata also pointed out that the HCs April 5 order had said that whoever was part of the alleged corruption even the complainant himself must be investigatedHe showed the court the minutes of meetings where Jaiswal as part of the police establishment board had approved transfers of several police officersJaiswal was present at every meeting on transfers Khambata claimed So shouldnt the CBI ask Jaiswal why he recommended these transfers But to do this a CBI officer will have to summon and question his own directorEven in theory it is absurd It is the very antithesis of a fair investigation when the CBI director is a potential accused the states lawyer added Jaiswal who was known to be an upright officer must himself state that the CBI cannot go on with its probe Khambata saidIt will be absurd if a junior CBI officer will have to put these questions to his director And it boggles my mind that a potential accused is heading the agency he saidAlso Read Money laundering case Bombay HC grants Eknath Khadse interim protection from arrest for one weekKhambata urged the HC to appoint a retired judge or some other suitable person to head the probe against Deshmukh and monitor it Solicitor general Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor Generals Aman Lekhi and Anil Singh who appeared for the CBI opposed the states plea The states stand is disingenuous It is a misconceived petition to delay and derange the investigation Lekhi claimed The court said it could not grant any interim stay to the summons as it would mean making comments on the merits of the case It granted liberty to the CBI to file a reply and posted the matter for further hearing on October 28This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever