[Anil Deshmukh Corruption Case] Retired Justice KU Chandiwal submits probe report to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

Retired Bombay High Court Judge Justice Kailas Uttamchand Chandiwal, tasked with conducting enquiry into the allegations against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, submitted his report in a sealed cover to Chief Minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday..The report running into 201 pages, was submitted nearly a year after a detailed probe was ordered by the State into the corruption allegations levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. "The Chief Minister has instructed the state chief secretary and also the secretary of home department to go through the report. They are given nearly 10 days time for the same," a highly placed source told Bar & Bench. "Whether or not the report would be accepted by the State, would be decided within 10 days or so. If the report is against the State, they might not accept it but if favourable the same would obviously be accepted," the source added. .The allegations which led to Deshmukh's resignation and eventual arrest by the CBI, had surfaced after Param Bir Singh wrote a letter to CM Thackeray on March 21, 2021 accusing Deshmukh of indulging in corrupt practices. He claimed that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader had instructed Sachin Waze, an assistant police inspector (API) to extort ₹100 crores a month from Mumbai's bars and restaurants.After Deshmukh's arrest, he was sent to remanded to judicial custody and sent to Arthur Road jail where he continues to be lodged till date. The State had constituted Justice Chandiwal commission to probe into the allegations. It was also asked to issue guidelines to ensure such incidents do no take place in future.Before Justice Chandiwal, Singh never appeared to give his statement and in fact even refused to enter the witness-box and adduce evidence. He, however, filed an affidavit through advocate Anukul Seth stating that he does not have any further evidence to lead in the case aside from whatever he disclosed in the letter written to CM ThackeraySuspended cop Sachin Waze testified before the commission and categorically said that he doesn't know Deshmukh personally and that there was never monetary demand from the former home minister, either personally or through his associates. However, Waze later sought to retract his statements and told the commission that Deshmukh had threatened to kill him and his family and thus he "didn't speak the truth" before the commission. Accordingly, he sought permission to amend his statements to the effect that Deshmukh had in fact made monetary demands from him and had asked him to extort money from city's restaurants and bars. However, Justice Chandiwal didn't grant permission for the same.