CBI court extends judicial custody of Anil Deshmukh & Sachin Vaze to 14 days in PMLA case

A Special CBI court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and suspended API Sachin Vaze in connection with a money laundering case. Deshmukh and Vaze, Sanjeev Palande, and Kundan Shinde will remain in the CBI custody for another 14 days. 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a charge sheet against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh and others in connection with its probe into 'Rs 100 crore bribery' allegations levelled by ex-Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The charge sheet named Deshmukh and his personal staff members - Kundan Shinde and Sanjeev Palande - as accused under IPC Sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

On Wednesday, June 1, a Mumbai court allowed Sachin Waze to turn an approver and seek pardon in the case. In his application filed before the court, Vaze had stated that he cooperated with the CBI during interrogations.

Special judge DP Shingade allowed Vaze's plea subject to certain conditions and asked him to appear before it on June 7. With the Mumbai Court's nod, Sachin Vaze turned approver and will depose as a prosecution witness in the matter.

What is the corruption case against Anil Deshmukh?

After being sacked as Mumbai Police Commissioner in 2021, Param Bir Singh wrote an explosive letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that Anil Deshmukh (then Home Minister) asked him to extort Rs 100 crore a month from hotels, bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

"The preliminary inquiry prima facie revealed that a cognizable offense is made out in the matter, wherein the then Home Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh, and unknown others attempted to obtain undue advantage for the improper and dishonest performance of their public duty," the CBI recorded in its FIR.

Subsequently, the 71-year-old NCP leader was arrested in November 2021 and has been lodged in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail since. He is also being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case.

Although Deshmukh refuted the allegations, he resigned as Home Minister last year after the Bombay High Court ordered the CBI to register a case against him.