Chandiwal Commission submits report on Param Bir's charge against Anil Deshmukh to Maha CM

In a big development on Tuesday, the Chandiwal Commission submitted its report panning around 201 pages to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The state government had constituted this one-man high-level inquiry committee on March 30, 2021, to probe former Mumbai top cop's 'extortion' charges against the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. While the panel comprising retired Bombay High Court judge Kailash Uttamchand Chandiwal was initially asked to submit its report in 6 months' time, its deadline was extended to April 30 this year. 

During the course of this inquiry which lasted for more than 80 sittings, several persons including Singh, Deshmukh, dismissed cop Sachin Vaze and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik appeared before the panel. As per reports, the committee had given its recommendations and the state government will decide the future course of action including tabling it on the floor of the state Assembly. At the outset, the mandate of the Chandiwal Commission was clearly defined by the state government.

• Has Param Bir Singh given any proof in his letter to substantiate his charges against Anil Deshmukh or any official working in his department?
• Do the charges based on the information procured from ACP Sanjay Patil and dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze indicate that Deshmukh or anyone from his department has committed offences so as to necessitate probe by any investigative agency?
• Any other recommendations pertaining to this.

Anil Deshmukh's allegations against Param Bir Singh 

The controversy came to the fore on March 20, 2021, when Param Bir Singh levelled serious 'extortion' charges against Anil Deshmukh. In a letter addressed to 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 Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze to extort Rs.100 crore per month from 1750 bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai. However, Deshmukh rejected these claims and announced that he will file a defamation suit against Singh. 

However, he stepped down as the Home Minister after the Bombay High Court directed the CBI to carry out a preliminary enquiry into these allegations. 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 IPC. Subsequently, the ED filed an ECIR against the NCP MLA on May 11 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for allegedly obtaining illegal gratification. 

After skipping summons on 5 occasions, Anil Deshmukh appeared before the ED at its Mumbai office on November 1, 2021, as the Bombay High Court rejected his plea challenging the summons issued to him by the central agency. Thereafter, he was taken into custody in the wee hours of the following day. So far, the special PMLA court in Mumbai has refused to grant him relief and as a result, Deshmukh continues to languish in the Arthur Road Jail. On the other hand, Param Bir Singh was suspended on December 2, 2021, and all the cases against him have been transferred to the CBI on the Supreme Court's directions.