CBI quizzes personal staffers of Deshmukh

Mumbai, April 11: The CBI on Sunday questioned two personal staffers of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in connection with the allegations of corruption levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, officials said.
Deshmukh’s personal assistant Kundan Shinde and personal secretary Sanjeev Palande were asked to appear before the CBI team in connection with its ongoing preliminary enquiry (PE) into the case following directives of the Bombay High Court, they said.
Both of them were being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the DRDO guest house in suburban Santacruz, the officials said.
Singh had in a letter alleged that Palande was present when Deshmukh allegedly asked suspended cop Sachin Waze to allegedly extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai, the CBI said.
Waze, who was arrested last month by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the case of an explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house, in his statement had reportedly claimed Shinde was present during one such conversation.
The agency started its preliminary enquiry into the allegations of bribery against Deshmukh on Tuesday on the orders of the high court. It sent a team of officers from Delhi to Mumbai to carry out the probe. (PTI)