Anil Deshmukh pins Vaze, CIU & Antilia bomb blame on 'suspicious' Param Bir after ED raids

Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh dubbed the allegations levelled against him by ex-Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh false, following searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at his Nagpur residence on Friday. Furthermore, making a rare appearance before reporters in Mumbai, he went on to blame the entire Vazegate set of crimes on his former reportee Param Bir, alleging that the entire Mumbai Police CIU had reported to the former CP. 

In May, the central agency had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Deshmukh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for allegedly obtaining illegal gratification. Speaking to reporters after the raids on Friday evening shortly after his party chief Sharad Pawar was also forced to make a meaningless deflection, NCP leader Anil Deshmukh claimed that he had cooperated with the ED officials.

Anil Deshmukh dubs Param Bir's allegations false after ED raids

Targeting Param Bir Singh, Anil Deshmukh put forth that Sachin Vaze, Sunil Mane and Riyaz Kazi - all of whom are currently in the custody of the NIA in the Antilia bomb scare probe and the Mansukh Hiren murder probe - reported directly to Param Bir Singh, and claimed that the behaviour of the former Mumbai Police Commissioner was 'suspicious.' The NCP leader went on to say that Param Bir Singh could have levelled the extortion allegations against him while he was the Commissioner of the Mumbai Police but hadn't done so and that the NIA was currently probing the matter. That he had thrown Param Bir under the bus by telling a Marathi channel that his reportee's transfer to the post of DG Home Guards was due to lapses, following which Param Bir Singh made allegations against him, didn't figure in Deshmukh's narration.

ED conducts raids at Anil Deshmukh's residence

The woes of ex-Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh increased as the ED carried out searches at his residence in Nagpur on Friday. The ECIR is based on the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against Deshmukh in April. A day earlier, ED recorded the statement of DCP Raju Bhujbal in connection with this case. As per sources, the raid started early in the morning. 

Charges against Anil Deshmukh

The controversy came to the fore on February 20 when ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh levelled serious 'extortion' charges against Anil Deshmukh. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Singh refuted Deshmukh's remarks that his transfer was due to serious lapses in the Antilia bomb scare case. Moreover, he alleged that the NCP leader had asked Sachin Vaze to extort Rs.100 crore per month from 1750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai. After the SC directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry, Deshmukh stepped down as the Home Minister on moral grounds and was replaced by Dilip Walse Patil. Before that, the MVA government had announced a 6-month probe under a retired HC judge, while Sharad Pawar had sought a probe by a 92-year old retired former Mumbai Police Commissioner who promptly dismissed the idea of such a probe.

On April 21, the CBI registered an FIR against the NCP leader and unknown individuals under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code. According to the FIR, the former Maharashtra Home Minister was aware that dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze was entrusted with most of the sensational and important cases of Mumbai. It also accused him and others of exercising undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials and thereby exercising undue influence over the performance of official duties by the officials.

Describing ED's action against Deshmukh as "political vendetta" on May 11, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik remarked, "Whether it is Param Bir Singh's allegations on former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, petitions in the judiciary, the case against him, or the FIR filed by the ED today, it is an attempt to malign him for political purpose by using power. Since forming the government at the Centre, it is clear that BJP is playing politics by misusing CBI ED or other investigative agencies. The ED registered the FIR against Anil Deshmukh in a bid attempt to malign him, the government and the party." This same manner of argument was echoed by Sharad Pawar on Friday, where crimes as grievous as planting a bomb-laden car near Mukesh Ambani's residence and the murder of the real owner of the car are glossed over.