Not trying to scuttle probe against Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra govt tells Bombay HC

The Maharashtra government denied before the Bombay High Court the CBIs allegation that it was trying to obstruct the central agencys probe against Anil Deshmukh a former state home ministerSenior counsel Darius Khambata the states lawyer said it had nothing to do with Deshmukh The state government has moved the court against the Central Bureau of Investigations summons to chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey as part of the probe against DeshmukhI Maharashtra government am not concerned with him Please investigate him Go ahead and do whatever you want with him the lawyer said Khambata made the argument while objecting to the CBIs decision to submit some material related to the probe in a sealed cover The agency must submit everything in the open court he told a bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and SV KotwalKhambata also pointed out that when the Maharashtra government wanted to submit some documents related to IPS officer Rashmi Shuklas case in a sealed cover the high court asked it to make submissions in the open court The CBI is investigating allegations of corruption against Deshmukh after former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police officials to collect money from bars and restaurantsIn September the CBI issued summons to chief secretary Kunte and DGP Pandey for questioning in connection with the probe The Maharashtra government then moved the HC seeking that the summons be quashed as Kunte and Pandey had nothing to do with this probe The summons was a harassment tactic it allegedAdditional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi who appeared for the CBI said the CBI wanted to submit in a sealed envelop some material to show how the process of transfers and postings of police officers was interfered with and controlled by DeshmukhWe want to show to the court how all the constraints and restraints of law were abandoned altogether Lekhi said These documents that the CBI wishes to submit are necessary to show the direction of the investigation the issuance of summons he said Khambata said this had no bearing on the state governments petitionAlso Read Maharashtra govt plea on summons to CS DGP surrogate real actor Anil Deshmukh CBI tells HCThe state seeks continuation of the investigation but under the supervision of this court he said The Union governments lawyer accused him of double speakThis is double speak An Orwellian habit You say you want the investigation to go on and yet you fault the investigation Lekhi said The state claims to be not concerned with Deshmukh yet it alleges malafide and continues to be concerned with the investigation he added The arguments will continue on ThursdayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever