Maharashtra govt agrees to share Rashmi Shukla's report with CBI in Anil Deshmukh case

The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that it will share ex-state Intelligence Commissioner Rashmi Shukla's letter, confidential report and phone interceptions with the CBI by August 30. A division bench of the HC was hearing the central agency's plea against the state government's reluctance in sharing certain documents in connection with its investigation against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in the extortion case. Mentioning that CM Uddhav Thackeray was in favour of transparency, senior advocate Rafique Dada added that the documents should be used only in connection with the transfers and postings connected to the NCP leader. 

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 dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze to extort Rs.100 crore per month from 1750 bars, restaurants, and other establishments in Mumbai.

After the Bombay HC ordered the CBI to conduct a Preliminary Enquiry into the matter, Deshmukh resigned as the Home Minister and was replaced by Dilip Walse Patil. 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 accused 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. 

Rashmi Shukla's report

In a letter addressed to the then Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal on August 25, 2020, Shukla revealed that she had received complaints of a network of "brokers"- individuals with political connections ensuring desired postings for police officers in an exchange for "massive monetary compensation". Stating that the phone numbers of the suspects were placed under surveillance to ascertain these charges, she stressed that due procedure was followed. Elaborating on the shocking details of the probe, she revealed that the aforesaid brokers are in contact with influential people and many police officers. 

Opining that there is highly incriminating evidence against a number of individuals in this activity, she attached a detailed report in this regard. The letter also called for the report to be immediately brought to the notice of the CM as it casts aspersion on the credibility and functioning of the government. However, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis claimed that the CM did not take any action on this report to "save his government" and highlighted that the state government transferred Shukla from the post.