The Supreme Court on Thursday heard the petition filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, challenging the Bombay High Court order directing for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s preliminary probe against him.
The court observed that the allegations are serious, the Home Minister & Police Commissioner are involved. They're closely working together till they fall apart,both holding a particular position. Should CBI not probe? Nature of allegations & persons involved require independent probe, says SC Justice SK Kaul
Kapil Sibal representing former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said there can be no preliminary inquiry without hearing Deshmukh. SIt’s only an inquiry on the basis of something akin to a press conference. It’s hearsay, adds Sibal.
It was not your (Anil Deshmukh) enemy, who made the allegations against you but it was done by the one who was almost your right-hand man (Param Bir Singh), Supreme Court Justice Kaul observed."The probe should be done against both," Justice Kaul observed.SC says high officials of Maharashtra are involved in the matter. Sibal representing Deshmukh says before SC that the law must be uniform for everyone. It can’t be that just because the Police Commissioner has said something, his words become evidence, he added.
Deshmukh had filed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the apex court, challenging April 5 Bombay High Court's order.
Deshmukh in his plea claimed that it was for the first time in the history of the Indian judiciary that corruption charges against a sitting minister were taken at face value. The high court had ordered a preliminary probe by an 'outside agency' without seeking a response from him, he said. Deshmukh has tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.