MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh arrived in Delhi last evening even as a team of the central investigating agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) landed in Mumbai today morning to probe him. 

Responding to a clutch of petitions made against Deshmukh especially by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, a city-based lawyer Jayshree Patil, and teacher Mohan Bhide, on Monday the Bombay High Court (HC) on Monday had directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the corruption allegations against Deshmukh. 

On reaching Delhi, Deshkukh went straight to meet senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and discussed moving the Supreme Court (SC) against the HC order. It is expected that the legal team will be filing an urgent petition in the SC and will pray for an urgent hearing, although experts say that it was unlikely that the apex court would hear the matter so soon and probably will give some date. 

Meanwhile, sources in the CBI said that a team of half-dozen of its sleuths landed early in Mumbai early today morning and will immediately begin their probe as per the HC order. They have already informed their counterpart in Mumbai police and are likely to record the statement of several officers of Mumbai Police. 

The agency has been directed by its seniors to begin work as soon as possible since the HC has ordered the CBI director to conclude the inquiry within 15 days and take further action in accordance with the law.

They will also be meeting former Mumbai Police chief Singh, and probe the serious allegations he has levied against Deshmukh and will be gathering evidence to prepare up a watertight preliminary report which can be maintained by the court to initiate a full-fledged investigation later on.