CBI arrests Anil Deshmukh’s lawyer for ‘influencing’ probe

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 2

The CBI has arrested former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s lawyer Anand Daga for allegedly making efforts to subvert the Bombay HC-directed preliminary enquiry (PE) against his client.

Ex-Minister moves HC against ED summons

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• Former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh moved the Bombay HC on Thursday, seeking to quash the ED’s summons issued to him in connection with a money laundering case
• He also submitted the probe be handed over to an SIT of ED officers outside Mumbai
• Deshmukh sought his statement be recorded via the electronic mode. PTI

Officials in the agency said Daga, who was arrested in Mumbai, had been brought to the national capital on a transit remand. He, along with CBI Sub-inspector Abhishek Tiwari, were produced before a competent court and sent to two days’ police remand.

Tiwari was taken into custody on late Wednesday night for allegedly receiving bribe from Daga.

Both arrested persons have been named in the CBI FIR.

“The CBI has booked, among others, its Sub-inspector and a Nagpur-based advocate on allegations, including illegal gratification. During the investigation, the CBI has arrested the Sub-inspector. The advocate is being questioned. Searches were conducted in Allahabad and Delhi,” said CBI spokesperson RC Joshi.

A report of the PE purportedly giving clean chit to Deshmukh was leaked on Saturday night, causing embarrassment to the agency. The CBI started a probe into the leakage in which it emerged that findings of the PE were influenced.

The attempt by the Deshmukh’s team to influence the investigation was an act of contempt of the Bombay High Court, which had directed that all concerned should cooperate with the CBI while conducting the PE, the officials said, adding that in this case, it had appeared that they tried to subvert the PE.

Their attempt could not succeed as there was a procedure in the CBI, according to which evidence and legal opinion was also taken on record before the registration of an FIR, they said.

The CBI had launched a PE on the orders of the Bombay HC, which had issued the direction while hearing a PIL on the allegations of corruption against Deshmukh.