Singh’s allegation has merit: intelligence report had flagged corruption

Maharashtra political crisis: Intelligence Commissioner had alerted DGP on malpractices in postings in August 2020: No action taken, was shunted out

geetanjali

Geetanjali Minhas | March 23, 2021 | Mumbai


#Maharashtra   #Mumbai   #crime   #politics   #Param Bir Singh   #Anil Deshmukh   #Uddhav Thackeray  


The political crisis in Maharashtra is turning murkier. As former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh has gone to the Supreme Court, seeking a CBI inquiry against home minister Anil Deshmukh, one of his contentions turns out to be well grounded: An intelligence officer had flagged corruption and malpractices but no action was taken.

Singh, removed as city police head, last week wrote a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, accusing the home minister of running an extortion racket. On Monday, he filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the CBI for conducting an unbiased probe into Deshmukh’s alleged "corrupt malpractices".

The petition says the Commissioner Intelligence of State Intelligence Department had alerted the department about malpractices in postings and transfers by Deshmukh.
.
“It is reliably learnt that on or about 24/ 25 August 2020, one Rashmi Shukla, the Commissioner Intelligence, State Intelligence Department, Government of Maharashtra, had brought it to the knowledge of the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, about corrupt malpractices in postings/transfers by Shri Anil Deshmukh based on telephonic interception. She was shunted out rather than taking any firm action against said Shri Anil Deshmukh,” says the petition.
 
It has come to light that on August 25, Shukla had indeed written to the DGP, Maharashtra, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, on the police and political nexus. “Upon receipt of numerous complaints alleging that a network of ‘brokers’ had emerged, particularly individuals with firmly ingrained political connections, are engaged in arranging desired postings for police officers in exchange for massive monetary compensation. In order to authenticate these charges, phone numbers of individuals were placed under telephonic surveillance, with due regard to the established process. The reason for surveillance was to curtail the commitment of criminal offence(s) and prevent the breach of trust,” Shukla writes in the letter.

“Consequently upon review of the gathered data it is clear that there is significant merit in these allegations. It has been discovered that the aforementioned ‘brokers’ are in close contact and embroiled in these negotiations with several influential [persons] …The police officers ranging from Inspectors to several high ranking IPS officers are in contact with such undesirable individuals. It is observed that the obtained information and evidence is highly incriminating and gravely incriminates a number of individuals engaged in this activity,” says the letter.

It also says that a similar situation had arisen in June 2017 when Mumbai Police had registered offence u/s 402, 419,465,467,468, 471, 170, 511, 34 IPC r/w 120 B and 66(d) IT Act, to probe the matter and arrested 7 accused (one of the accused Banda Nawaj Maner is found to be active again) submitted charge sheet in the court and the case is pending trail.
 
The letter further states that detailed and factual report substantiating the findings is enclosed and surveillance transcripts are enclosed in sealed envelope. It asks for high level inquiry against all stakeholder engaged in activity and said that the matter should be immediately brought to the notice of the chief minister as its casts aspersions against credibility and functioning of government and as a result erode public faith and trust in administrative machinery and integrity of police department.

Jaiswal then wrote to additional home secretary Sitaram Kunte, recommending that the matter be brought to immediate attention of the chief minister and ordering of immediate and comprehensive inquiry State CID, Pune, to identify concerned Individuals and taking necessary legal action. He advised maintaining secrecy of report to prevent unnecessary scrutiny and which may bring disrepute to government.
 

Comments

 

Other News

How to leverage AI to solve urgent global issues

The world seems to be hurling towards World War III in all the possible scenarios: hot war, cold war, and proxy war. The battleground seems to have expanded beyond physical to digital or virtual/mixed reality with technology like drones. Moreover, the line between civilian and military targets seems to hav

Budget: Progress towards SDGs and areas for improvement

The Union Budget 2025-26 outlines India`s vision for economic and social growth while also reflecting the country`s commitment to sustainable development. As India moves closer to the 2030 deadline for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this budget presents a balanced approach

Repo rate cut by 25 basis points to 6.25%

The Reserve Bank of India has, for the first time in five years, reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 6.25% with immediate effect. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate will stand adjusted to 6.00% and the marginal

Amitav Ghosh’s new work: Connections between the word and the world

Wild Fictions: Essays By Amitav Ghosh HarperCollins, 496 pages, Rs 799.00 Amitav Ghosh, one of a handful of Ind

How markets can help (and also hinder) fight against pollution

In the annals of environmental policy, few ideas have been as transformative as the Emissions Trading System (ETS). Born from the minds of economists in the late 1960s, this market-based approach to pollution control has evolved from a theoretical concept to a global tool in the fight against climate chang

Will Bihar complement the resolution of Viksit Bharat 2047?

As India completes its diamond jubilee as a republic, I am reminded of a statement by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, delivered during an address to the Bihar Chamber of Commerce in Patna on March 28, 2006. He said, “I have visited Bihar numerous times, and it has always been a source of happiness for me to

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now



Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter