CBI summons ex-Maha Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on April 14

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has called former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh for questioning on Wednesday, 14 April, in connection with the corruption allegations against him, officials were cited as saying by news agency PTI on Monday.

Last week, the Supreme Court had dismissed pleas filed by the Maharashtra government as well as Deshmukh against the Bombay High Court order of a preliminary CBI investigation against him and said, “Nature of allegations and personas involved needs an enquiry by independent agency. It is a matter of public confidence. We are not inclined to entertain this.”

The Bombay HC Order

The probe had been ordered by the high court on 5 April over former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh's plea levelling allegations of corruption, extortion, and other malpractices against Deshmukh. A day later, the CBI said it had registered a preliminary inquiry.

The plea had been filed by Singh after he was transferred from the post of Mumbai CP amid the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare probe.

The court had ordered for the investigation to be completed within 15 days, following which the CBI would decide on the course of action.

Hours after Bombay HC had directed the CBI probe, Deshmukh had resigned from the post of Maharashtra home minister.