CBI seems to have forsaken mastermind, Delhi court on Maha case document leak

New Delhi, Dec 23 A Delhi court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to further investigate the case pertaining to the alleged leak of confidential documents to divert the probe against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in a corruption case, observing that the agency 'seems to have forsaken the mastermind' while only charge sheeting the 'hands'.

"The CBI seems to have left the engine/horse pulling the cart, thereby only arraigning those travelling in the cart, as without pull of engine or horse the ride of cart or conspiracy would not have been possible, despite a mountain of apparent evidence, CBI seems to have forsaken the man pulling the strings or the controlling mind or mastermind or head while only charge sheeting the hands, for reasons best known, therefore CBI/investigating agency is directed to discreetly and thoroughly further investigate the role of Anil Deshmukh (Ex Home Minister Maharashtra) in present matter," Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said in Wednesday's order.

The court directed the probe agency to investigate the matter in a time-bound manner and to file a status report in this regard within four weeks of this order without fail.

The court's direction came while taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed against CBI's Sub Inspector Abhishek Tiwari and lawyer Anand Daga.

As per the FIR, Abhishek Tiwari, who was assisting the Inquiry Officer in the preparation of the probe report, was in possession of sensitive documents.

On June 28, he visited Pune for investigation and met the co-accused Daga to pass on details regarding the inquiry and the investigation, the FIR stated.

He allegedly shared copies of different documents like memorandum of proceedings, sealing-unsealing memorandum, statements, seizure memos etc. related to the investigation of the case with Daga and also an unknown person through Whatsapp on many occasions.

The CBI had arrested Daga from Mumbai and Tiwari from Delhi. Later, Daga was shifted to a Delhi court on transit remand.

It appears that the accused persons were closely associated with Anil Deshmukh and may have been acting in tandem with him, who may be the controlling mind of the larger conspiracy, the court noted.

The matter will be heard next on January 22.

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