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Former Maha Home Minister Anil Deshmukh grilled by CBI Over alleged extortion

MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh today appeared before the central probe agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in connection with the allegations of corruption levied against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Hearing three petitions including that of Singh, the Bombay High Court (HC) had last week directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Anil Deshmukh in 15 days time and to submit a report. The orders were given specifically on the petition of advocate Jayshree Patil.

The CBI had issued a notice calling Deshmukh to join the agency's probe on Monday and accordingly, Deshmukh reached the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) guest house, where a probe team of the CBI is camping in suburban Santacruz around 10 am.

In a letter that was made public, Singh had claimed that Deshmukh asked now suspended assistant police inspector Sachin Waze to allegedly extort over Rs 100 crore every month from bars, hotels and restaurants in Mumbai.

Waze who is in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), for his role in parking an SUV Scorpio containing the gelatin sticks on February 25 outside Industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house has also corroborated the allegations against Deshmukh.

The CBI has already recorded statements of Singh, Waze, Deputy Commissioner of Police Raju Bhujbal, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Patil, former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma (also known as Waze's mentor), advocate Jayshree Patil, police constable Vinayak Shinde, hotel owner Mahesh Shetty and personal assistants to Deshmukh.

After their probe, the CBI will be filing a reply with the Bombay HC next week. Based on their findings if the HC feels it required, it is possible it may order a full-fledged investigation.

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