Probe against Anil Deshmukh: Chandiwal committee gets powers of civil court

By LE Desk

Mumbai, May 10: The Maharashtra government has delegated powers of a civil court to Justice Chandiwal committee, set up to conduct a probe into the corruption allegations levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against ex-State home minister Anil Deshmukh.

The one-member committee comprising the High Court’s retired judge Kailash Uttamchand Chandiwal was set up on March 30 to conduct a judicial inquiry into Mr. Singh’s allegations made in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 20. Mr. Singh wrote the letter after he was shunted from the post of the Mumbai police commissioner and appointed as the DG, State Home Guards.

In a notification issued on May 3, the State government delegated powers of a civil court to the probe committee, news agency PTI reported.

Mr. Singh alleged that NCP leader Mr. Deshmukh had given a target to some police officers to collect ₹100 crore per month from bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

After formation of the probe committee, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis had criticised the government and claimed that the panel could not be called a judicial commission as it was not given powers under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952.

He had termed setting up of the committee as an “eyewash” and wondered how a retired judge could investigate charges against an incumbent home minister without any powers.

Mr. Deshmukh, who has rejected the allegations against him, resigned as home minister on April 5 after the Bombay High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the corruption allegations against him. The CBI registered an FIR against Mr. Deshmukh and conducted searches at his premises in Mumbai and Nagpur.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/probe-against-anil-deshmukh-chandiwal-committee-gets-powers-of-civil-court/article34524213.ece